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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22468546">Arendelle Academy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercuryK/pseuds/MercuryK'>MercuryK</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Frozen (Disney Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Modern AU, One depiction of physical violence, Referenced Suicide (not a main character), Rivals to Lovers, Slow Burn, Upping the rating to Mature, mentions of abuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:28:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>97,558</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22468546</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercuryK/pseuds/MercuryK</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maren is a hired as a counsellor for Arendelle Academy, a prestigious private school owned by the Winters family, after a boy committed suicide on campus the previous term. Maren is determined to uncover the issues within the school, but with the icy headmistress Elsa Winters, scrutinising her every move, its a much harder task than she imagined.<br/>But is the headmistress all that she seems?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>795</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1673</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 1</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     She hadn’t expected it to be so impressive. The building itself was stunning, and the grounds resonated with an air of notability, but she had expected the inside to feel imposing and old fashioned. Taking in the thick aubergine curtains pulled back over the huge arched windows, she sighed. The whole office felt like a movie set, with each item on the desk neatly arranged, each book on the ornate, floor to ceiling bookshelf lined up in height order, interspersed only by the odd statue. A brass horse caught her eye, sat front and centre on a shelf; it looked expensive, probably the most expensive thing in the room, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes at the needless expense. She was about to look away when a glint of sunlight drew her gaze to a small glass object on the top shelf. It was out of plain sight, but she could just about make out the shape of a glass piano, sat on a wooden base. Craning her neck from her seat, she saw there was a name carved into the front of it, making it clear that it was a trophy. There was a distinct lack of any other personal items in the room aside from that trophy, which was almost hidden anyway, and the large potted plant didn’t exactly do much to make her feel at home. She had been there for a little over fifteen minutes, and the grandeur of the place had already made her decide that Arendelle Academy was not somewhere she felt comfortable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     There was a faint clicking of heels from outside, and a swell of nerves hit her. Stopping just shy of the door, there was a momentary pause in the footsteps, leaving her even more on edge. The door opened, and she stood up quickly, smoothing down her shirt. She had ironed it just before leaving, but her biker jacket had creased it again. At least it was still tucked into her trousers nicely... Taking a deep, steadying breath she turned, watching as the woman who would probably be making her life hell for the next six months walked in. For a week she had been preparing to meet the owner of this private school, who she assumed would be a stern, tight lipped old woman… maybe with a cane like she had seen on tv. She hadn’t however, been preparing to meet the young, gorgeous woman who had just walked in, the platinum blond hair tied in the most graceful braid she had ever seen. She tried to pin an age to the woman, noting that she couldn’t be older than her mid twenties, and felt confusion settle over her. How could someone so young own and be running something as huge and grand as Arendelle Academy? She fought to keep her eyes off of the woman’s curves, refusing to look for more than a second at the way her navy pencil skirt hugged her thighs, or the way her pale blue shirt pulled slightly across her chest... Suddenly her mouth felt dry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura, I apologise for not being here to greet you when you arrived.” Her tone held no note of apology despite her words. The woman looked her up and down as she came closer, offering her hand out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I was early.” She said politely, forcing a smile as she quickly shook the blondes hand. The contact didn’t last, with the two women catching each others eyes only briefly before parting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Good, we don’t appreciate tardiness here. I’m sure you’ve been told already, but my name is Elsa Winters, and i’m the headmistress here. While on school grounds I will expect to be called Miss Winters at all times. You may request to be called Maren by other members of staff but we do not tolerate the students using first names.” The woman spoke matter of factly as she made her way around the desk, sitting pertly on her office chair and motioning for her to sit as well. She picked up a pen, twirling it around in her fingers, and the motion caught Maren’s eye immediately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course, I will keep that in mind.” She had to fight to keep her tone light, the stiff start to the conversation making her bristle with frustration. She was used to dealing with stand-offish characters, but not ones with such elegant command.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The cold woman seemed to suddenly notice the bikers helmet and neatly folded leather jacket on the chair to the side, and pinned her with a judgemental stare. It was clear that she didn’t like the idea of riding a motorbike, and Maren had the suspicion that the sparkling Lexus out the front had to belong to this woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Good. Now, you’ve been hired by the board to solve a problem in this school, and as such they will expect you to deliver results swiftly. They seem to think you will be some kind of </span>
  <em>
    <span>saviour </span>
  </em>
  <span>here... so you better be one.” A subtle eye roll accompanied the words, and Maren clenched her jaw against one of her own. She hadn’t thought the staff would like her, considering her lower social status, but there seemed to be some kind of personal hatred towards her from this woman. It was too early to make any real judgements, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>a counsellor after all and knew people often gave off false first impressions, but it was difficult not to immediately dislike the headmistress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Miss Winters was correct though, the board had seemed to hire her on the spot, desperate to fix the issues harbouring inside this glorified cage. From the looks of it her immediate boss hadn’t been involved in the decision making process of hiring her. Either that, or she didn’t want to hire a counsellor in the first place. It had surprised her that the board even had the power to hire her, as Marens research had suggested that the Winters had complete control over the school, but she expected that they funded the institution enough to have a fair amount of power.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ll do my best to help the kids here.” She spoke earnestly, trying to keep herself soft. Maybe if she offered honest good intentions then perhaps she could break through the surface of her icy exterior… or at least crack it enough to have some breathing room. It seemed to have the desired effect, because Elsa sighed quietly, almost unnoticeably, and pressed her thumb into the pen in her hand. It was a motion she had seen commonly in people who were nervous or uncomfortable. Most people would have missed it, especially when the subject they were looking at was as closed off as this one seemed to be, but she was used to picking up on the subtleties.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Your office is just down the hall from mine. I’d like you to report to me once a week for the first month or two with your progress. Obviously I understand that there are confidentiality agreements with the children, but a comment on the general well being of the students wouldn’t go amiss.” She turned a little in her chair, casting a glance out of the window at the grounds, where several groups of children were beginning to make their way towards the building.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That sounds fine.” She nodded, agreeing with the idea. “The board asked me to do something similar in a months time.” It was the wrong thing to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course </span>
  </em>
  <span>they did.” So far Elsa Winters face had remained neutral, eyebrows still other than a small quirk here or there, but a sneer formed at the information. “I’m sure they’re being </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>empathetic.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren felt a wave of cold anger shoot through her. It was obvious she was referencing the suicide that had happened on these very grounds, and the detached way that it was spoken about made her annoyed. She couldn’t keep the bite out of her tone when she replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>, actually, they are.” Maren let an eyebrow pull up in challenge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa squinted a little, thumb pressing firmly into the pen to the point that Maren was impressed by its structural integrity. Maren watched the pale woman take a slow, steadying breath, before releasing it and clenching her jaw. It was clear she wanted to respond, to fight back against her words, but she kept herself well schooled. The control was a sign of her upbringing, probably having been taught to conceal her emotions and focus only on a goal. That was the way of people like her after all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you have any further questions? Assembly will begin shortly.” Miss Winters asked curtly, checking her watch but not really looking at the time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “None.” Her response was just as sharp. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Your office is two doors down on the opposite wall, i’m sure you can find it yourself.” She stood up, and Maren followed, berating herself instantly for ruining any chance of a decent relationship with her boss, not that Elsa seemed to welcome it with her apathetic attitude.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you, I’m sure I can find it.” Maren picked up her jacket and helmet, and followed Elsa to the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura…” She said with her hand on the door handle. She paused, not continuing her sentence, and Maren frowned. There was a slight dip to Elsa's brow, and her thumb tapped a few times on the metal handle. After a moment she turned to look at her, her sudden smile as fake as the knock off designer boots Maren was wearing to try and fit in. “Good luck.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thanks.” She returned the artificial smile, stepping out of the office as soon as the door was open and hearing it shut softly behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Finding her office quickly, she opened it up and took in the medium sized, mostly empty room. There was a beautiful wooden desk, and a large matching bookcase, but aside from that it was clear of anything else. The reality of her situation kicked in all of a sudden, and she leaned against the desk, pushing her fringe back and keeping her hand on the top of her head. She didn’t need, or want this job, but she had agreed to do it anyway. There had been several factors that pushed her into it, some of them being her own, but her brother had been the one to really convince her to go for it. She would have to call him later and let him know how her first day had gone, he would be curious about what kind of person was running the Academy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     A cold bitch…</span>
  </em>
  <span> She thought, sighing as she thought about her new boss. Everything about her screamed of pretentiousness, from the office itself, to her clothing and attitude. It made her blood boil. A woman like that had no right to be overseeing the education of children, even if they also came from a background of wealth and distinction. It was obvious that she wasn’t going to get along with the Headmistress, so she would aim to avoid her as best she could, minus her weekly report. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She wandered over to the window, and looked out to the athletic track on the field. Arendelle Academy had grounds in all directions, set back from the road a fair distance, and she found herself grateful for the nice view. A few stragglers were jogging across from the back entrance to the grounds into the school, and Maren groaned at the sight. Each one of them seemed to be wearing a designer coat, or shoes, or be holding a purse more expensive than her previous months wages in their hand. It made her feel sick, and she wondered if she had made the right decision coming here at all. Even the uniform was perfect to a fault, with each grey blazer tailored to the student, the green lapels shining as if made of silk, and the stitched crest sitting proudly on the front like a badge of honour. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It would be a challenge to get these children to open up to her, but she was determined to try her best. Whether </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Winters</span>
  </em>
  <span> thought she was needed, or wanted, was beside the point; she would prevent any further lives being taken if it killed her. She didn’t really care what the staff thought of her, nor the board for that matter, but she would prove her worth at Arendelle Academy by helping as many children as she could. For him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     A knock sounded at the door, and she span around, eyes wide. She had been told her first day would be her own, to sort out her office and to read up on some of the students files. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Uh, come in!” She quickly yanked her jacket and helmet off of the desk and shoved them underneath it, hiding them from immediate sight. The door cracked open, and a middle aged man poked his head inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hi!” He started joyously. “Sorry to interrupt, but I saw you heading in here and wanted to say hello.” He grinned widely, his dark eyes glowing with interest. “My name’s Mattias, I’m a history teacher here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren took his dark hand and shook it, feeling herself relax as she determined his warmth to be sincere. Something about his smile was infectious, and she found herself returning one in kind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maren Nattura, counsellor. I’d offer you a chair… but I don’t seem to have one yet.” She scratched the back of her head, giving the room another once over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Ah, I can help you out with that, i’ve got a free period first thing this morning and I managed to grade all my papers last night so I have some time.” Mattias moved to lean against the desk, looking outside, and Maren joined him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So Maren, I take it you had your initial meeting with the Headmistress... How did that go?” He gave her a curious side eye, and Maren squinted at him. It was a dangerous game to say anything bad about your boss on your first day, and as charming as Mattias seemed she didn’t fully trust him yet. He was, after all, working in a classist academy willingly.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It was fine, she just welcomed me and then told me where my office was.” She spoke carefully, taking a leaf out of said woman's book by keeping her tone and expression neutral. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Pffttt…</span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Look, Elsa is known as the ice princess for a reason. You’ll get used to it, but new staff are often caught out by it at first.” He patted her on the shoulder, and she sighed in relief.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh. Okay.” Smiling lightly, she turned more fully to him. She hadn’t gotten much out of Elsa except that she had a stick up her ass, but maybe Mattias could be more useful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So, what’s it like around here?” She queried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It’s pretty good actually. As long as you’re nice to the Winters’ and </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> annoy any of the parents. They’re definitely the worst part.” He laughed lightly, and Maren breathed out in concern. She hadn’t thought about how annoying the parents would be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No annoying the parents, got it. You said the `Winters’`, plural?” She raised an eyebrow and he gave her an apologetic look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh yeah… Mr Winters is the one you want to look out for. He’s the one who owns this place, but he gave it to his daughter to run. If you thought </span>
  <em>
    <span>Elsa</span>
  </em>
  <span> was cold then you will </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> not like Agnarr.” He pressed his lips together, eyes wide, and a shiver passed over him. Maren felt her heart beat faster. She knew Mattias was trying to help, but it was making her regret taking the job; she could deal with a mean boss, and people thinking she was lower class, but a school worth of angry, rich parents, and an even </span>
  <em>
    <span>meaner</span>
  </em>
  <span> boss… the idea terrified her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m not going to make it to the end of the year am I?” She asked solemnly. Mattias laughed loudly, and Maren wondered if Elsa could hear it from her office. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’ll be fine. Honestly, there are a couple of really cool teachers you’ll like, and although the students </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>a pain in the ass, they’re mostly respectful. I mean, you’ll have your work cut out as the counsellor, that's for sure.” His words piqued her interest, and she carefully prodded him for more information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh? How so?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “A lot of these kids have quite a bit of pressure put on them already. It’s obvious they struggle sometimes. You’ve got parents who push them constantly and parents who forget their kids exist at all. Plus, the Academy is a tough place for a lot of them, they all compete to seem better than each other. It’s ridiculous really.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren made a mental note of all that Mattias was saying, happy to finally have something to go on about how the school might be affecting the children here. It was pretty much what she had expected, but it was good to hear it from someone who worked there. She hummed in acknowledgement, glancing back out the window. A bell chimed suddenly and she jumped, making her colleague chuckle. Working in a school would take some getting used to. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Maren dropped heavily into her chair, pulling it forward and setting herself to the task ahead. Mattias had helped her find some chairs, and they had requested to take some of the books from the library to fill the bookshelves. It wasn’t completely full, but the three shelves she <em> had </em>filled made all the difference. There was an endless amount of office supplies available, and she had filled up a couple of draws in the desk so she had everything she needed. The chirpy man had also gifted her a plant, which she had sat on her desk next to a lamp. It wouldn’t take much to make the room feel more like home: a photo of her brother here, an ornament or two, and a work related poster or two would do it. </p>
<p>     With the job came a work laptop, which gave her the freedom to meet with students anywhere around the grounds if they needed her. She opened it up, pulling out the slip of paper the receptionist had given her on arrival with her log in details. As she followed the instructions to get into the schools personal systems she felt a twirl of nausea hit her. Somewhere in this system would be the file of the boy who killed himself, and she wasn’t sure if she could bring herself to look at it. Her throat closed up, eyes burning for a second, but she cast the thought aside for the moment. Now wasn’t the time to think about that kind of thing. For now, she had a job to do.</p>
<p>     The board had told her to find and talk to any problem children as soon as she could, and as far as she was concerned, that began with talking to anyone who had been friends with him. It had only been a month, so they would undoubtedly still be hurting immensely. Mattias hadn’t been much help in that area as he hadn’t taught him, but he had given a list of students who he thought were under undue stress for her to look into. </p>
<p><em>      Cleo, Kristoff, Diana, Mathi. </em>She spent an hour going through their files and making a basic profile of them. Kristoff in particular caught her attention, his parents having died a few years prior. It seemed he was being raised by one of his parents cousins, but that he wasn’t used to this kind of lifestyle yet. He didn’t have any notes of bad behaviour since being at the academy, despite him being in his final year and having gone through what he had. </p>
<p>     Her phone rang, and the childish grin of her brother lit up on the screen. She would have to have words with him about calling her during work hours, she doubted Miss Winters would take too kindly to having one of their meetings interrupted by her excitable sibling. She sighed, but picked up the phone with a smile, pushing herself back on the chair. </p>
<p>     “Ryder, you can’t call me at work…” She chastised him.</p>
<p>     “Sorry, but you said today was a getting ready day or something right? I assumed you wouldn’t be seeing kids already?” He sounded apologetic at least, so she let it slide. </p>
<p>     “Yeah, i’m just getting my office ready and reading up on stuff.” She explained, careful to keep out anything to do with the files she was currently scouring through. </p>
<p>     “What’s it like there? Is it as bad as you thought?” He asked, the fascination in his voice evident even over the phone. Considering how tired he had been recently, it made Maren smile to hear him so intrigued. </p>
<p>     “It’s… imposing.” She struggled to find the right word for exactly how she felt being in Arendelle Academy. “It’s just huge, and there are like, pillars and stuff in the entrance.” She groaned, remembering she had walked in to the reception and come face to face with an entrance hall that looked like it had been stripped out of a five star hotel and placed inside the stately building. </p>
<p>     “Woah, that sounds amazing! I mean… you know, weird and dumb because its a school, but still cool.” </p>
<p>     Neither Ryder nor Maren had cared that they grew up in the foster system, never getting a taste of the luxuries of a well off family, but they both held a curiosity about the lifestyles of the rich. They both viewed it all with an air of disdain, but they could admit to being amazed by it. They had each worked their hardest at school to get good jobs, and now they both lived good lives. Neither one had managed to tie down a long term relationship yet though, so they still relied on each other the same way they did when they were young.</p>
<p>     “It is pretty cool,” she chuckled softly, “but we were <em> definitely </em> right about the headmistress.”</p>
<p>     “Really? Is she all old and evil?” They had placed bets on what some of the staff might look or act like, and she had already lost the one about the history teacher being a tall, old man who was half deaf and smelled of peppermints. </p>
<p>     “Uh… no actually, she’s… um…” Maren felt betrayed as her mind immediately filled with images of Elsa's pert buttocks in her pencil skirt, her calves fle- She closed her eyes and rubbed them with one hand. “She’s fucking hot, Ryder.” </p>
<p>     There was a pause. “I… didn’t know you were into older woman?” </p>
<p>     Maren's eyes flew open and she threw the hand on her face into the air in disgust.</p>
<p>     “What? No! She’s probably like, twenty-eight or something. Her <em> father </em> is the one who owns this place apparently.” She explained quickly, halting her brother from delving too far into his own imagination. </p>
<p>     “Oh, okay.” He laughed, and Maren could imagine the entertainment on his face. “Well, we both lose that bet then!” </p>
<p>     “Oh no, we win. Honestly Ryder, she is the coldest person I've ever met. So up-tight...” She knew she had only spoken to the woman for just over five minutes, but her personality, or lack thereof, rubbed her the wrong way.</p>
<p>     “Does she act like that to everyone?” He asked, and there was a more serious tone to his voice. </p>
<p>     “Apparently she’s cold to all the teachers, but I haven’t seen her talk to the students yet. I’ll let you know.” She couldn’t help but roll her eyes, thinking that Elsa probably avoided even interacting with the students. It seemed like the kind of thing someone like her would do. It wouldn’t be surprising if her and her father were only in the school business because all of the parents were paying handsome fees to ensure they were being schooled around other well off children. </p>
<p>     The conversation with Ryder relaxed her, and after he reminded her of her reason for being there she felt a renewed wave of purpose. Her brother was her best friend, and he always knew how to make her feel better. After hanging up, she finished making her notes, and closed her laptop to head to lunch. Images of leaving to eat off of the grounds lured her in, but she knew logically that jumping straight in and forcing herself to socialise would be the best option. Grabbing her over shoulder bag, she bravely headed to the staff room.</p>
<p>     For a moment she thought she had walked into the wrong room. She remembered the staff room at the public school she had gone to as a child, with grey walls and dirty mugs, but the modern, clean space she stepped into was nothing like it. The furniture was stylish, the kitchen finished like that of a new home, walls painted white with one of them fully covered in panelled wood. People filled the chairs, soft laughter flowing from a couple of women in the corner by the tall windows. </p>
<p>     Looking around blankly for a moment, her eyes suddenly landed on Mattias, who noticed her and waved. She was quick to join him, a nervous smile playing on her face. Everyone was wearing clothes that looked far more expensive than hers, and it made her exceptionally uncomfortable. </p>
<p>     “Hey.” She greeted him, sitting down in one of the armchairs next to him and sighing at the comfort of it. It was better than the armchair she had at home, that was for sure. “These chairs are <em> good </em>, damn.” </p>
<p>     Mattias chuckled, and the woman next to him laughed as well. Embarrassment hit her suddenly, and she wished she had managed to keep her mouth closed. </p>
<p>     “They got new ones over the summer. Pretty good huh?” Mattias said, and she nodded.</p>
<p>     “The ones before were terrible. They<em> looked </em> amazing but they were so uncomfortable.” The woman next to Mattias spoke with a gentle voice and a smile, surprising Maren slightly. </p>
<p>     “This is Ella by the way.” Mattias helpfully provided. </p>
<p>     “Nice to meet you.” Maren smiled at the blonde woman. Her perfectly curled hair and form fitted designer jacket would usually have made her steer clear of the woman, but she put aside her initial concerns and tried to be nice.</p>
<p>     “Miss Cinders to the children. I’m the music teacher.” Ella’s smile was sweet and innocent looking, and it broke down the stereotype in Maren's head. </p>
<p>     “Maren.” Maren went to introduce herself, but another woman joined them, having overheard and moved to sit with them. Her short, scruffy brunette hair didn’t exactly fit the part of a private school teacher. She looked smart, but there were light smudges of… something, on her cheek, and her face was free of any makeup. </p>
<p>     “Everyone here already knows who you are. You’ve kind of been the talk of the school for the past week, plus Miss Winters announced your arrival today in the assembly.”</p>
<p>     “Wait, really?” A frown worked its way onto her face, worry settling into her already twirling stomach at the idea of people having talked about her. </p>
<p>     “Yup. Rapunzel Fitzherbert, Art and Design.” She introduced herself merrily.</p>
<p>     Maren looked between the three people sat with her, confusion settling inside of her. She had been sure the school would be full of more teachers like Miss Winters, who looked down on her and acted smug about their self worth. Part of her wondered if they thought she was one of them, but a quick look at the choice of jewellery around the staff room, followed by an eye at her own attire, swiftly removed that idea from her mind. </p>
<p>     “How are you finding your first day?” Rapunzel asked, and Maren wasn’t sure how to answer. She cocked her head, letting out an `eh` sound, and the group huffed in understanding. </p>
<p>     “Oh, Maren was trying to find out if any of the students were close to Oliver. I didn't teach him but you did, right Rapunzel? Maybe you could help?” Mattias spoke a little quieter, not wanting to draw too much attention to the conversation. Maren went still at his words, as did the other two women, but at Rapunzel's gentle nod she forced herself to probe into the line of questioning.</p>
<p>     “I just wanted to make sure any students he might have been friends with are okay.” She said, throwing her a reassuring smile, though she couldn’t manage to make it look real. </p>
<p>     “Oliver was a bit of a loner, but there were one or two people he seemed to get along with. I know Tobi has been a lot quieter since it happened. Josh and him got along I think? Sorry if that's not much help…” The art teacher gave a weak smile, and began to fiddle with the tea cup in her hand. </p>
<p>     “No, that's perfect, thank you.” Maren pulled out an apple from her bag, deciding to let the conversation move on, which Mattias made sure of quickly enough. She relaxed into the casual conversation, learning a little about the people she was working with. They told her about where to find certain things around school, and which people to avoid. It seemed that most teachers <em> were </em> hired mostly on merit, rather than class, though It did seem to help if your family was already known someone. Maren had been aware that the teachers would have to be well educated to get the job, but she was starting to realise just how wrong she had been about the type of people who worked at Arendelle Academy. In the end, she felt comfortable enough to say as much.</p>
<p>     “You know, I kind of thought you would all be rich snobs…” She looked down as she said it, and heard the group laugh. </p>
<p>     “I can see how you’d think that. The school tries to give off that vibe to the public.” Ella said with a roll of her eyes. The way she had cut her sandwiches into small triangles had made Maren smirk; Ella seemed more adorable by the minute. </p>
<p>     “I mean you’re not wrong. At least half of the teachers are like that, maybe more. But the rest of us are all normal. We kind of... keep to our little groups.” Rapunzel spoke with a bounce in her voice, but kept her voice low so the other teachers wouldn't hear her. </p>
<p>     “And then you have the Winters…” Mattias said, and both he and Rapunzel pulled a face. Ella sighed instead, looking down and sparking Maren’s attention. </p>
<p>     “You guys are too hard on Elsa, she’s just…” Ella tried to find the right word, but came up empty. Maren noticed the use of the woman's first name, and watched as she shifted her feet closer together in what appeared to be unease.</p>
<p>     “Cold?” The art teacher said, and Mattias nodded. </p>
<p>     The subject of the conversation made Maren look around curiously, and she realised that Elsa wasn’t there. Groups of people were sat conversing all over the room, in what she now realised were obvious cliques, but the petite woman was nowhere to be seen. She was glad for it, not wanting to have to deal with her again so soon, but she couldn’t help but wonder about her absence. </p>
<p>     “How come Miss Winters isn’t here?” She asked, interrupting whatever it was that Mattias was saying. She looked back to them, and Ella sighed again, replying quickly. </p>
<p>     “She just comes in for coffee and then leaves.” There was more to be said by the woman, but she kept her mouth shut, tucking a curl of hair behind her ear. Maren filed the information away for later, sure that the odd relationship between the staff could have just as much of a part to play in the schools atmosphere as their relationships with the students.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You might notice that chapters are a little shorter than I would usually do in this fic. That's so I can keep up the updates while being at work and still allowing myself a little free time.<br/>Also, there are a few name drops for a laugh. </p>
<p>Stolen property - I look forward to seeing your other names haha Can you shove symbol like a % at the end of your comments so I know which ones you've come up with? I'm glad you've enjoyed my work so far, hopefully this will meet your expectations.</p>
<p>FuzzySandwitch - Stories with hard topics like this are my preferred genre, I love getting into the harsh reality of those situations. Obviously its still a romance, but I like the setting I have created for this.</p>
<p>anastasia_f - I'm glad you've come back for this one! I'm really excited for it, so fingers crossed you'll enjoy it too.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3 </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     “So, Tobi, how have you been?” Maren started, not sure what to expect of the boy. She had invited him in for a quick chat, and though she wasn’t intending on delving too deep into anything on their first meeting she still wanting to be sure he was at least coping with the loss of his friend. Ignoring the obvious issue he must be dealing with though, she had also noticed from his record that there might be other things going on. On two separate occasions within the past year he had gotten into trouble with a boy named Hans, and the contrast to what looked like a smart and polite boys record seemed odd.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Tobi shrugged, and the slight sigh that slipped out sounded resigned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Fine I suppose. It's weird.” There was a mild accent to his voice that surprised Maren. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Weird?” She asked, coaxing him to elaborate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah. Like… I feel kind of the same, but just... sad?” He tilted his head to the side, looking at random items on the desk to avoid her gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That's to be expected, its normal to feel strange for a while when you lose a friend.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     He nodded, and eventually looked up at her. His blue eyes were watery, but he seemed mostly relaxed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “My parents said that too. I think they were happy when they heard you were coming to the school.” He sniffed once as he spoke, but it didn't seem like he was about to burst into tears. Maren relaxed, happy that he seemed to be letting himself be sad and having what looked like a healthy response to such a traumatic situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you talk to your parents about it much?” She asked, making a note quickly about how he seemed to have supportive parents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah, we talked about it a lot at first, and they bring it up occasionally still. They met him a couple of times so they were pretty sad too.” He scratched lightly at the back of his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That’s good, i’m glad you have people there for you. You said your parents were happy I was here?  Is there anything you’d like to talk about in particular?” The question made him frown, and he looked down to the bag on his lap again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I suppose I just don’t understand why.” He started. Maren knew what the question meant but she wanted to make him continue. She waited a moment, seeing if he would keep going without prompting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I just don’t get it. He was struggling to keep up at school but… he seemed happy.” The frown deepened, and Maren fought off one of her own. She wanted to help Tobi, but she was also hoping to garner a little information as to what could have pushed a boy like that over the edge. It seemed even his friends were just as clueless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well, sometimes people can be good at hiding when they feel the worst.” She said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I suppose so. We were friends, but we weren’t that close really. His grades were kind of bad so I was helping him out with them. I keep wondering if the competition in class was too much for him. Maybe if I put in more time to teach him... ” He fizzled out, sounding upset.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You can’t always see what’s going on in someone's private life. It’s not fair to put any blame on yourself for what happened.” She looked back down to the notepad, jotting down what Tobi was saying about Oliver on a separate page. It certainly made sense. If he was being put up against other students more advanced than him it would have been exceptionally hard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Tobi nodded, seeming to have heard similar words before. She decided to move on for now, and return to the topic when they had more time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I noticed you have a friend here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hans</span>
  </em>
  <span> I think his name was?” She wasn’t expecting the scoff she received in response to her words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans isn’t a friend. He’s a dick, but he’s the most popular guy in the school so…” He shrugged again. He seemed uncomfortable with the line of conversation and Maren decided she wanted to get to know more about his relationship to this boy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “If you like, we can book in for a proper session next week? Talk things over a bit more?” It was clear he was struggling to move past recent events, and could do with talking them out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah actually, that sounds good.” He nodded slowly, a weak smile appearing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Nerves sent beats of cold energy through her as she stood outside of Miss Winters office at the end of the week. She had only run into Elsa once more since Monday when she had started work, and it had consisted of Elsa making a coffee while tapping a finger on her crossed arms, as Maren waited for her lunch to heat up in the microwave. The woman had given her a nod and a quiet hello, which Maren had returned, but then the two had stood in an awkward silence for a minute. Well, Maren had felt awkward, but Elsa had appeared just as unphased as usual. The only sign that she was at all affected by her presence was that gentle tapping of her finger, and the way she glared almost indecipherably at the coffee machine, as if it had personally offended her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Eventually she knocked on the door, quickly taking half a step back just in case Elsa suddenly opened it. Instead, she just heard a call of “come in”, and she gently pushed on the wood. Maren swallowed down her fear, looking up and taking in the sight in front of her. Elsa’s glasses were perched on her nose, one ankle crossed over the other as she leaned her thighs against the desk. The one piece dress, half black, half white, was incredibly flattering, possibly even more so than her previous outfit. She wished she wasn’t as attracted to the woman as she was finding herself to be, so she could just dislike her in peace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren stepped forward, her professionalism swiftly cutting off her hormones access to her brain. She cleared her throat, half to get the woman's attention and half to try and make sure she could still speak properly. Miss Winters tore her eyes away from the letter in her hand, stilling for a second as her blue met Maren’s brown. Her brows raised in surprise, and she stood up fully, putting down the letter and folding her glasses. She chose to keep the black frames held in one hand, and Maren couldn’t help but notice the way Elsa seemed to always prefer keeping her hands busy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Ah, Miss Nattura.” She said, posture suddenly much more rigid. Maren found it curious that she had seemed fine with </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> seeing her more relaxed, just not her. Whether it was her lower class, the fact that she had been hired by the board, or just because Elsa didn’t like her, she wasn’t sure. Who was it she was expecting to have walked in instead?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You wanted me to give you feedback at the end of each week?” Maren said, not sure what to do with her hands all of a sudden. She wanted to slip them into her pockets, but knew Elsa wouldn’t approve. After a second of deliberation she did it anyway, and sure enough the woman followed the movement with a quirk of her brow, displaying a clear aversion to the pose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That I did. Have you made any progress this week?” The words sounded like a challenge, and Maren took a deep breath to stop the response she could feel coming. To become a licensed therapist she had had to undergo therapy herself, as was the standard, and knew that she had issues with being a little hot headed when it came to authority. Luckily, practise made perfect, and years of studying techniques had taught her how to push away the tingling of annoyance at the back of her skull.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes actually, it’s been a good week.” She was telling the truth, it had </span>
  <em>
    <span>certainly</span>
  </em>
  <span> been insightful. The children at the school weren’t just under pressure from the parents, but from the school itself to achieve the grades, and by each other. It was a vile atmosphere to witness, and Maren couldn’t help but blame the Headmistress for allowing such an attitude to go unrestricted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh?” Elsa’s eyes seemed to light up at the words, and Maren felt a tug at her brow as her brain tried to comprehend the sight. It was curiosity, perhaps a small twist of hope, and it seemed out of place on the woman's face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I found out who was close to Oliver and met with them. They both felt our session was worth a second visit, so I'll see them again next week too. Hopefully I can help them deal with what happened.” She spoke proudly, happy with her progress. After meeting with Tobi she had met with Josh too, and though he was much tougher to crack, he had eventually agreed he needed to talk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa took in her words with a subtle nod of her head, looking out of the window. Her thumb played with the glasses she was holding, though it seemed less like an anxious response and more like a subconscious action while she was deep in thought. A few seconds passed, but Maren waited for Elsa's reply, noting that she had parted her mouth a little as if to speak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you see any signs of major issues with these students mental health?” She asked formally, keeping her gaze locked on something outside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Not currently, no, though there are a few other students I have concerns about.” She supplied, and Elsa looked back to her. She seemed worried, a slight frown on her face, and Maren thought maybe her progress had actually gotten Elsa to trust her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m going to invite them in for a chat next week. I’ll keep you updated obviously.” Elsa seemed to relax a little, and Maren felt brave enough with the display of genuine emotion that she touched on another subject. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ve been talking to Rapunzel and Ella about holding some kind of safe space for students during lunch breaks. Would you allow that?” She kept her tone light, tapping on that crack in Elsa's icy exterior. She seemed to think for a moment, face having returned to a neutral position.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I take it you're suggesting an arts or music group? Considering the teachers involved.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Not quite. It would be more of a respite type thing, where they can just relax, and have access to some kind of outlet if they need it. I was also thinking something like a Martial Arts club might be good for them?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The crack Maren had formed sealed over instantly, and Elsa breathed out so slowly and silently that it was almost painful for Maren to watch. She placed her glasses down on the desk carefully, crossing her arms with a sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you honestly think any of the parents will allow their children to participate in </span>
  <em>
    <span>fighting</span>
  </em>
  <span> on school grounds?” The mocking nature of her tone set off Marens frustration once more, and her fists clenched in her trouser pockets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I thought we were going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>help</span>
  </em>
  <span> the children here, not to pander to the parents every whim.” It seemed she wasn’t as good at staying cool around authoritative figures as she thought… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa took two steps forward, slowly, to stand firmly in Maren's personal space. Her arms stayed folded, shoulders tense. Maren's heartbeat picked up at the woman's proximity, the icy blue of her eyes piercing her own with dominance. It triggered a natural energy to awaken within her, the need for control forcing her to fight back against the powerful gaze, proving to her that she wasn’t willing to be walked over. She was here on behalf of the board, which gave her an element of power over Elsa, and Maren would hazard a guess that it frustrated the woman to know that fact.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “If you want to stand any chance of helping these students it will do you well to remember that those </span>
  <em>
    <span>parents</span>
  </em>
  <span> are the ones paying to send them here. If you disrupt their trust then they will happily send them somewhere </span>
  <em>
    <span>else</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Elsa spoke sternly, and though Maren could easily think of a come back, she realised she was right. The resignation in the blue eyes told Maren that maybe Elsa didn’t like that fact either, and it made her rethink her position on the matter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Whether she liked it or not, if she annoyed the parents then she would lose her students anyway. She needed to keep them sweet so she had the time to treat them effectively. Plus, some of them might end up in worse situations if their parents found out they were engaging in something that they didn’t approve of. It took a lot of effort to choke back the growl that was forming in her throat, and she clenched her jaw as she forced herself to look down, giving Elsa control of the situation. She hated to admit it, but she was clearly a smart business woman… even if she was a bitch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa sighed as she took a step away, seeing she had proved her point. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Look, you’re obviously good at what you do. Just… keep doing it for now. You can start the arts lunch group, I trust Ella to keep you in check.” The words came out sarcastically, but once again her face was passive, leaving Maren unsure whether or not to laugh or be annoyed further. Rather than think too much on it she focused on the mention of Ella.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren had gotten closer to a few of the teachers, and out of all of them Ella was the only one who always defended Elsa. The Headmistress seemed to hold the same affection for the woman, and it made Maren wonder what their relationship might be. There was a second or two where her mind flashed to the idea of the two engaging in sordid activities together, but she quickly shut her brain off, not wanting the image to linger long enough to have any kind of effect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you.” Maren said with a nod, choosing to take what she had been given, and accept the mild compliment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Have a good weekend Miss Nattura.” Elsa turned, signalling the end of the conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You too Miss Winters.” She said, giving the back of Elsa's head one last look before leaving.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren was glad for a couple of days away from the school. She was used to working in a much more relaxed environment, and the constant pressure of being surrounded by people who cared solely about reputation and money made her more tired than she had ever been. Mattias, Ella, and Rapuzel had begun to change her opinion of the teachers, but her general view on the elitist community hadn’t changed. Aside from the atmosphere, Elsa’s attitude kept her in a constant state of frustration and nervousness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She watched her brother fondly as he scoffed down a panini, picking at her own food without much interest. His hair was untamed, and the bags around his eyes suggested that he hadn’t been sleeping well. Which wasn’t that surprising, she knew he was under a lot of pressure at work. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So,” he said, mouth still full of cheesy bread, “how was the first week?” His eyes shone with interest, and he rammed the last bite of food into his mouth, rubbing his hands on his jeans quickly. Maren sighed at his inetiquette, wondering what the staff at Arendelle Academy would make of him acting like that in a public cafe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It was better than I’d hope for actually. I mean, the place is awful don’t get me wrong, but I’ve made a couple of friends which surprised me.” She gave up playing with her meal, resting her head on her hands instead and huffing out a breath of air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That’s good though! At least now you don’t have to hate </span>
  <em>
    <span>every</span>
  </em>
  <span> minute of the job. Plus, you can scrounge up a load of cool information about the sexy but evil headmistress from them too.” He winked at her, and she groaned in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m not there to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>friendly</span>
  </em>
  <span> with the teachers.” She rolled her eyes at the idea, but couldn’t help her tongue from darting out and wetting her lips, heart beat picking up slightly at the visual that formed momentarily; the idea of teaching her a lesson for being so rude was more than a little appealing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maybe not, but it can’t hurt to get to know the person in charge of the school right? If you can figure out her ideals and values and stuff then it might make everything a lot easier for you.” His voice became more serious, and Maren looked away. He was right, getting to know more about Elsa would help her in her role a lot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t know Ryder, she really doesn’t like me. I can get a pretty good taste of the elite school experience by just being a part of it, without putting myself in the Winters’ line of fire.” She took a sip of the coffee she had ordered, the hot liquid soothing her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Is it really that oppressive?” He asked, distracted by some idea in his head that he quickly wrote down, pulling the ever present pen from his pocket and scratching it onto the napkin next to him. It made her smile sadly, both happy to see his interest sparked by something, but saddened that he was unable to stop thinking about work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Just because a few of the teachers are nice doesn’t change the fact that its toxic as hell in there. It’s all about reputation for the kids, and the parents and teachers seem to fuel the fire all the time. I’m not sure if its on purpose but they certainly aren’t helping the problem. It's really not that surprising that some of the kids would be suffering with stress induced depressive states.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Ryder had focused back in on her words, listening with fascination to every comment she made. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I had a run in with Miss Winters yesterday actually….” She started, and her brother leaned forward expectantly, eyes widening slightly. “She thought it necessary to remind me that the parents pretty much choose how the school is run, and that the board basically eats out of their hands. It’s all about power and money! Not a single one of them seems to care about what might be best for the child.” She found herself getting angry, and had to take a slow breath, taking another sip of coffee and settling her hands around the mug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’ve been there a week and you seem to have grown even more hatred for them then you did before.” His tone was joking, but his brows pulled up in a worried expression. “Are you sure you’re okay with working there? I know It was partially my idea, but if its too much then you can just leave and walk away. I won’t hold it against you, you know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     His honest love warmed her chest, and she shook her head a little. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t hate it…completely. I just hate the system, and the people funding it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well, just keep me informed if anything happens okay?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren changed the conversation, not having much more to tell him that didn’t breach her confidentiality agreement. It was nice to just relax and chat to someone she could get along easily with. She felt safe around Ryder. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter 3 for you all. I'm excited for things to pick up properly!</p>
<p>jayceee_3 - Oh... It will be going up in rating. I just wanted to keep it lower until it gets to that kind of point haha</p>
<p>FuzzySandwitch - SO many questions hahaha All will be answered soon don't worry. </p>
<p>Palo - I wasn't intending to add in the other Disney characters at first, but it just worked so I went with it :) Glad people like it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura, you wanted to speak to me?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren turned her head, surprised. It was an hour after the end of the school day, and she was on her way to her motorbike when the voice stopped her in her tracks. Just behind her stood a tall, well built boy with shaggy, shandy hair. She recognised him from his file immediately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh, Kristoff! Yes I did, though I meant during school hours at some point.” She said with a chuckle, but the joke didn’t seem to land. His eyes stared blankly back at her, slightly wide as if he had been told off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh! I didn’t- I mean-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ha- I’ll go now. Come back tomorrow... Maybe.” He stepped backwards, shoulders bunched around his ears as he span on the spot to walk back to the building. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wait, hang on!” Maren said quickly, taking a few long steps to come face to face with him again. “I’m free now, if you’d like to talk. I just thought you might have somewhere else to be.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No… Now is good.” He smiled weakly, and the shyness was sweet. It wasn’t surprising, his file gave off that kind of impression too, but it was important to keep in mind that he might be easily spooked by some conversation topics. They made their way back inside and to her office, Maren making sure to keep up a gentle conversation so he didn’t get too anxious before they even got there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So,” she said, sitting down and prompting Kristoff to do the same, “I wanted to know how you were finding the school?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     He sat rigidly, hands twirling over each other in his lap. Maren could guess that transitioning from his previous life into this one of class and prestige had left him feeling out of place and anxious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It's alright, I suppose.” He didn’t elaborate, and Maren tapped a finger lightly on the desk, wondering how best to get him talking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you go to any clubs or anything here? I’m just trying to get a feel for how students find the experience here.” It was true, but she conveniently left out that she was concerned about him personally more than the others. The words seemed to loosen the boy up, believing that he wasn’t under personal inspection. That sparked Maren’s interest, leading her to believe he was nervous about someone probing into his thoughts for some reason. Perhaps he was still struggling with the death of his parents, or he had something he didn’t want to talk about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t really like any of the clubs here. They’re a bit… fancy?” He scowled at the thought, and Maren knew what he meant. She was sure that the orchestra, lacrosse, and chess club didn’t exactly appeal to everyone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Don’t you do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> here just for fun?” She frowned. Surely there had to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She was starting to realise just how important her little respite group might be for some of the students.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well… I do brush the horses now and then.” He looked a little embarrassed, cheeks pinkening at the confession. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Horses? I didn’t know the school had horses?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It doesn’t, they belong to the Winters’. They live just outside of the school grounds and Miss Winters lets me go and brush them whenever I want.” He smiled fondly, and Maren had to school her face to prevent herself from baulking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How did that arrangement come about then?” Curiosity fired up inside of her, not quite understanding how a quiet, shy boy came about getting permission to visit the personal residence of the headmistress at his pleasure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “When I first came here, it was really hard and confusing, so I’d just walk around the grounds a lot to avoid everyone. I kind of stumbled into Miss Winters property, and she happened to be there. So we talked a bit and she let me pet the horses.” He relaxed as he spoke. The reaction showed he really was comfortable with the idea of spending time at the Winters’ residence. It was an escape for him, and it was probably the main reason that he had managed to keep himself in a good place mentally over the past few years. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     He launched into a speech about the horses, his favourite one apparently being a brown stallion called Sven, and it was nice to see him light up about the subject.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you certainly seem to be fond of it.” She said, and his smile proved her point. “Other than that, how is school? Are the students okay?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Some of them are okay, but most of them suck. They think the sun shines out of their asses.” He sighed in annoyance, and Maren let a small chuckle escape. Kristoff had a sarcastic, funny personality underneath his shyness, and it was a shame he didn’t feel able to let that run free in this school. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anyone in particular you think I should keep tabs on?” She asked casually, not really expecting an answer, but he blew out a loud breath, anxiety seeming to swell back inside of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans and Peter are the worst one to be honest, but you can’t tell anyone I said that.” He looked like a scared puppy, and Maren smiled sincerely. Tobi had issues with Hans too, and she quickly scribbled the name down on a post stick note, underlining it twice to remind her to look into him more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Everything you say in this room is kept private, don’t worry. Thank you Kristoff, I just wanted to put out some feelers, but if you ever want to talk properly just let me know.” She stood up, letting him know that she didn’t have any more questions, and he quickly pushed himself up too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She saw him to the door, and he gave her a smile on his way out, which was progress on how unsure he had been a little more than fifteen minutes prior. She let him have a few minutes to walk away, shrugging on her leather jacket and letting her hair down before heading down the hall. As she passed the library she stopped, movement catching her eye from inside. Kristoff’s english grades didn’t suggest he was the reading type, but she hadn’t seen anyone else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Diverting her path, she carefully stepped through the open doors and into the extravagant room. With ceiling high shelves filled to the brim with all sorts of books, it had astounded her when she had first seen it. The light from outside was fading, and the diminishing sun cast a yellow hue across the cherry wood surrounding the room. It felt magical, and she took a few slow steps forward. Usually her steps were less than delicate, but it felt rude to disturb the peace in the room with her echoey footfall, so she placed her feet carefully one in front of the other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her breath caught when she rounded the last shelf and into the study area by the back entrance. Beams of sunlight pooled through the tall windows on either side, tiny dust fragments glowing under the rays. Sat in the corner under one such ray was Elsa. Her platinum hair glowed in the burning light, and her glasses cast even more light onto the book in her pale hand. Her knees were drawn together, laying to one side with her feet on the couch. One arm was resting on the side of it, and her chin was cushioned between her thumb and forefinger. She looked decidedly comfortable, and at peace, in a land of her own within the book she was reading. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren didn’t know what to do. If she turned around to leave it was likely she might attract the attention of the woman and seem like a stalker, but if she spoke she would ruin the moment. The decision was made for her when Elsa frowned, obviously having sensed someone in the room, and her gaze locked on Maren’s when she looked up. Maren held her breath, and the other woman’s eyes widened fractionally at her sudden presence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What are you doing here?” Elsa asked coldly, but there was a small lilt to her tone that betrayed her distress at being caught in a moment of relaxation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sorry!” Maren said quickly. “I thought I saw someone in here and wanted to check if it was a student. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” She took a step forward, but stopped abruptly when the woman tensed visibly from her position on the couch. The tension was awkward, and for once it was Elsa who looked like she wanted to bolt, but Maren thought back to her conversation with her brother about trying to get to know the woman a bit. She looked at the book Elsa was reading, shocked to find it was one she recognised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Concealed Devotion. I didn’t take you for the angsty romance novel type?” She let a small smirk play on her face, and it grew as Elsa's eyes widened further in shock. Though it wasn’t obvious, she thought she could see the hint of a blush warming her cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It’s an easy read…” Elsa paused, looking at the book for a second before placing it down. Her legs lowered to the floor, but her body remained stiffly sat. Maren was pretty sure that Elsa was too uncomfortable with the situation to move and draw more attention to herself, even if she might want to. It's easier to pretend you are the one still in control than show you are experiencing any kind of discomfort. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Have you read any of her other works?” Maren prodded the woman more, determined to at least be able to tell her brother that she had </span>
  <em>
    <span>tried</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She doubted she would get a better chance than this one to spark any kind of casual conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes actually, I have all of them.” Elsa’s voice was soft, and it made her seem even younger than she already looked. Maren watched as Elsa’s gaze was drawn down to her black jacket, slowly gliding up to her loose hair and then back to her eyes. She expected to find disgust written on her face, but found nothing like it, just a gentle frown and those slightly pink cheeks. No further words were offered, and Maren quickly searched for something else to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I met Kristoff just now.” She spoke without much thought, her inquisitive mind taking her words on a ride of its own. Elsa took a slow, deep breath, and Maren quickly flicked her eyes down to the woman's hands, unsurprised to see her thumb pressing into her forefinger firmly, following a slow circling motion. “He spoke highly of you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Kristoff is a good kid. He… I’m glad you’ve spoken to him.” She gave Maren a pointed look that seemed to question whether their meeting was casual or more professional in nature. Maren nodded sharply back, and Elsa sighed in what looked like relief. It seemed that she had harboured concerns about him herself, and had given him what she could to help. It was an act of kindness and care that Maren hadn’t expected from the icy headmistress, and she felt confused once again by it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He definitely seems to like your Sven. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up being a stable hand after school. She laughed, shifting her weight and slipping a hand into her pocket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s very good with them. I think Sven likes him more than me.” Elsa laughed lightly. The sound was quiet, and Maren had to convince herself it hadn’t been her imagination. The tug at Elsa's lips, though very small, lit up her face spectacularly. Maren cursed her for being so beautiful and enticing, while simultaneously giving off such a hostile and unresponsive atmosphere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Eventually Elsa looked away and cleared her throat. Maren kicked herself for getting so distracted by Elsa's laugh, realising suddenly that she had been silently staring at her for a good few seconds. It was starting to make sense that Elsa was a much deeper character than she had originally thought. Her need to understand the reason behind the mask ate at her instantly, but she forced herself to ignore it. She had much bigger things to worry about than what made the headmistress feel like she should be so mean to everyone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anyway, as you’ve proved I'm not a rogue student, you can head home.” The headmistress said, sounding as regal as ever even with the lack of bite.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah, sorry…” She was about to turn, but stopped. “Do you come in here a lot? So I know not to worry if I see another shadow.” One side of her mouth pulled up in a smile, determined to try and act casual now she knew Elsa probably didn’t despise her </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> as much as she had thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I… do, yes. The library here is nicer than mine.” She looked to the windows, the yellow glow sitting warmly on her cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You have your own library?” Once again Maren spoke first and thought later. Elsa’s father owned a whole academy, and she herself had several horses and a Lexus, of course she had a library at her home. She cringed at her stupidity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We do, though it's not that big. It’s more of a study filled with books.” She gestured a hand as she tried to describe it, giving Maren a look that showed some kind of mild interest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh…” She felt herself starting to close in, the feeling of never having experienced anything like that weighing on her. It must have been obvious that Maren felt uncomfortable suddenly, because Elsa tilted her head slightly to the side, frowning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “If-” She stopped, rethinking. “The teachers are allowed to be here after hours.” It was a simple statement, one that Elsa didn’t elaborate on, but Maren’s eyes widened at the suggestion it held. She was offering for Maren to come and read here as much as she wanted, even though this appeared to be a safe space for her. It was kind, and once again the urge to study the version of Elsa behind her walls kicked in. She wondered how many other people had been privy to her compassion before… not many if her reputation as the Ice Princess was considered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That's…” Maren tried to form a reply, looking up into Elsa's oddly gentle expression, but the woman jumped back in quickly before she could say anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anyway, I should go, I have someone i’m supposed to meet soon.” She stood, slipping off her glasses, and picking up the book she had been reading. “I expect I’ll see you around school Miss Nattura.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh, yeah. Bye.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Miss Winters slipped out the back exit with little more than a nod of goodbye. Even when she was being cold she usually didn’t end the conversation quite so promptly, so it seemed like the intimacy of the interaction had thrown her off. Maren twirled on the spot, bringing her hands to her forehead and feeling the leather of her jacket press cooly against her warm cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Gah, what the hell is </span>
  <em>
    <span>with</span>
  </em>
  <span> her!” She grumbled, feeling frustrated. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Learning a little about Elsa now ;) I really love hearing all your theories! Keep them coming please!</p>
<p>StarMaiden - The board has been interesting to write, I think you'll enjoy the dynamic with them and the current characters. Thank you so much for the support! x</p>
<p>rainbowflavored_fiction  - Some pretty good ideas there, but you'll have to wait and see ;) </p>
<p>%% Smurfs up - I'm loving the usernames so far haha Elsa is tense for... a lot of reasons. But obviously Maren is hot so I mean... you're not wrong!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     It didn’t take long for her to track down the notorious character that was Hans. Within a week of talking to Kristoff, and with her prior knowledge from Tobi, Maren had done her research and found out as much as she could about the boy. His family owned a well known company so he was respected highly in the school, but he seemed to live in the constant shadow of his seven older brothers. It wasn’t unusual for the youngest child of a family that size to rebel and cause mischief, but that didn’t excuse the behaviour. She doubted she could persuade him to come into counselling, but she wanted to at least keep an eye on him just in case anything troubling happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She eyed his perfectly quaffed ginger hair from her position at the side of the assembly hall, raising an eyebrow at his obvious lack of interest. She couldn’t say she was bothering to follow everything the teacher was talking about either, but at least she was feigning attention a little better than him. The shorter boy next to him with big ears and a cocky grin appeared to be Peter, his partner in crime. They seemed to be signalling something to each other while looking at a group of girls a few rows ahead, and Maren frowned. The girls were clearly at least a year younger than them, and from the smirks and eyebrow raises, their actions suggested that their thoughts were less than innocent. It took a few minutes for her to determine that two girls in particular were the focus of the boys attention, one red-head, and one brunette. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you, Mr Hook.” Miss Winters said, snapping Maren's attention back to the front of the room. She noticed the two boys suddenly quiet down too, and for once Maren found herself grateful for the fear Elsa had struck into the occupants of the academy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Letters will go out to all the parents shortly about the change in procedure.” She said briskly, looking out over the students. She paused, and her gaze rested on someone in the audience for a moment. Curiously, it seemed to be the same group of girls Hans and Peter had been watching, and Maren wondered if she too had noticed their antics. There was a slow inhale, and Elsa’s eyes flicked up quickly to Maren's. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Before you go, I would like to formally announce the initiation of a lunch time respite group.” Maren's heart raced at the words, having not expected her group to be brought up during the assembly. “It will be run by our new counsellor Miss Nattura, who can explain it further. Miss Nattura?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren felt like a deer in the headlights, staring wide eyed at Elsa as a cold sweat broke out over her. Mattias nudged her, prompting her to walk to the front of the giant hall, letting her feet lead her while her brain stayed frozen. A hum formed around the room as the students waited for her to get into position, and she felt regret for ever having the idea to start the group. When she reached Elsa, she gave her a look of pure annoyance, deciding to focus on her frustration at not being notified father than let her fear of public speaking get in the way. Elsa simply raised both eyebrows slightly, pursing her lips in a `</span>
  <em>
    <span>go on</span>
  </em>
  <span>` way. It was clear she was still unsure about the whole idea of the respite group. Maren didn’t let herself spend any time looking out over the crowd, starting to talk the second she turned to them so as not to get stage fright. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “As Miss Winters said, I’m starting a respite group during lunch time to give you guys somewhere to go if you need some time away. Whether you want to read, have a casual chat, or you just need to get in some extra studying, you can come and do that. Not everyone wants to spend every lunch time with their friends, and I'm sure every one of you has had a day where you just don’t want to be around people.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren chanced a closer look at the students, noticing the surprising amount of people either nodding or giving their friends an agreeing glance. She had tried to word it in a way that took the pressure off of spending lunch in the presence of a counsellor, and it seemed to have had the desired effect. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Lots of nodding going on, good. Well, if you ever want to just get away then a couple of other teachers and myself will be around in the Art department on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays.” She looked back to Elsa, who nodded approvingly and stepped forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “All right, that’s all for today.” Elsa said sternly, and before she had even finished the students were standing up and turning to head out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa turned to her, arms folding as they both took a step back from the students. They stayed quiet for a moment to allow for most of the horde to funnel away from them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “A little notice might have been nice!” Maren said, frustrated still. Elsa had returned to her heartless persona the day after they had run into each other in the library. If anything she had been even meaner than usual to her, which even Mattias and Rapunzel had noticed. There had been more than one sarcastic remark thrown her way during their last interaction, and Maren had quickly realised that she should go back to avoiding the woman. For her own sanity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You said you were ready to open the group up.” The blonde said sharply, clenching her jaw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I am, but I'd appreciate not being put on the spot like that!” She waved a hand in the air, making sure to keep the movement casual to not alert the students to her spat with her boss. Elsa took half a step forward, flicking her eyes over to make sure they weren’t being watched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I am the headmistress here Miss Nattura, you don’t get to decide what I do and do not say during the assemblies.” Once again she pinned Maren with a look of dominance, but this time Maren wasn’t going to let her win. She squinted slightly, crossing her arms defiantly. Trying to stay calm and avoid the woman could only go so far, and after a week of having her patience tested, Maren was at the point of losing it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Being the headmistress doesn’t give you the right to treat the staff like trash though does it?” Her voice was quiet and low, almost a growl. It was a build up of anger and annoyance that led her to say it, but it was the truth nonetheless. Elsa’s eyes widened in shock at her words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You have some gall speaking to me like that!” Her voice was just as quiet, but a few hushed whispers from the side of the room suggested that at least a couple of the teachers had figured out what was going on. She hoped it was only Mattias or someone else she was close to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well maybe if you treat your staff with more respect I wouldn’t have to.” She replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t really see how the way I treat my staff has </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do with you, Miss Nattura. You forget that I’m the one paying your wages here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren smirked at the obvious power play, not fazed by it at all. She hadn’t taken the job for the money, and she could easily get another one if needed, even if she got fired. For Elsa to fall back on such a lazy method of control meant that she was riling her up. There was a fire in Elsa’s eyes, and Maren could see that she was definitely not used to people questioning her way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “And </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> forget that i’m not here for your money. I’m here because a boy died. And if your attitude is rubbing off on the teachers and causing problems for the students then it is </span>
  <em>
    <span>entirely</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do with me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The fire in Elsa's eyes died out instantly, and she recoiled a fraction. Maren had meant to make the words hurt, but the flash of pain she saw was far deeper than she had expected. Within a second she regretted the words. Maren let her shoulders slump in submission, trying to soften what she had said, but the damage had already been done. Elsa blinked once, breathing out harshly and swallowing thickly in a way that betrayed her emotional vulnerability. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I see.” She took a step back. “Speaking in assembly is expected of all teachers. Perhaps you should be better prepared.” She ended the argument, turning and walking away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren watched her leave, feeling her chest constrict painfully. She knew she had lashed out because of her own anger and sadness about the incident, but acknowledging that didn’t help the situation. With a groan she looked around, finding a couple of teachers staring at her from next to the door where the final few students were leaving. Her eyes were drawn to a pair of blue ones, and she realised a red haired girl was frowning deeply at her. Maren recognised her as one of the girls Hans and Peter had been looking at. There was a slight familiarity about her, but she chose to ignore it, focusing instead on the problems she had just caused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” She whispered, rubbing her face and closing her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Unable to make sense of what to do she let her logical brain take over, running a self diagnosis in a matter of seconds. Her personal feelings towards the incident with Oliver had clearly made her forget about the goal for her being there. Plus, the last thing she wanted to do was place blame on someone who was not personally at fault. The two and a half weeks at the school had made her confident that although something was clearly wrong, it was not the faculty who were to blame for the trouble with the students.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Within a few seconds she made a decision. Feeling the eyes still burning into her from by the door she sighed, and jogged quickly after Elsa. Pushing open the door she saw the retreating back of the woman in question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wait!” She called after checking no one else was in the corridor. Elsa ignored her, heels clicking as she continued to walk away. She sped up until she was right behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wait.” She repeated, voice firm and commanding as she reached out to grab Elsa’s wrist. In hindsight, it was a bad decision.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa gasped as Maren’s fingers pressed into the pale skin, turning sharply, and yanking her hand back. Her chest heaved for a moment and a look of sheer panic spread across her face. Maren stared back at her, any apologies she had planned dying out as she took in the woman’s response. Dread pooled inside of Maren as she took in each sign, the wide eyes and blown pupils, the partially open mouth, the tense muscles through her shoulders and neck...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Automatically she took half a step back, lowering her arms and looking away. She felt queasy at what the reaction suggested, but she focused her energy on seeming as non threatening as possible. Elsa was quick to compose herself, though her hands remained clenched, and she crossed her arms quickly in a defensive stance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I uh- I didn’t mean what I said earlier... I’m sorry.” Maren said, looking back to the woman. “I’ll make sure to be more prepared.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa nodded after a moment, clearing her throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you… I’ll give you more warning next time.” She caught Maren’s eyes, probing them for something. She was probably hoping that Maren hadn’t noticed her sudden reaction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thanks. Uh, have a good day.” She nodded respectfully and then turned on her heel, walking quickly away. She didn’t hear the now familiar click of heels, and wondered if Elsa was watching her leave, or just too anxious to move at that moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She headed to her office quickly, pulling out her phone and bringing up her brothers contact quickly. Her heartbeat thrummed through her body loudly as the phone rang, and she begged him to answer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Come on Ryder, come on Ryder.” She chanted, opening the door to her office and shutting it behind her. She had an hour before she had planned to meet with one of the students, but then she was fully booked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maren? What’s up?” The relief that washed over her when her brother picked up was immense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh man, Ryder, thank god!” She rushed her words, walking over to the window and looking out, trying to calm herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “O-kay… what’s wrong?” He sounded worried immediately, knowing her well enough to tell she was flustered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I think… I think Elsa’s been hurt by someone.” She said quietly, and Ryder was silent for a few seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What makes you think that?” He asked carefully, his tone controlled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m not one hundred percent sure obviously, but I said something dumb earlier, and when I went after her I grabbed her wrist. She reacted </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> badly to it. Like, we’re talking blown pupils, whole body tensed, almost hyperventilating kind of bad… It was only for a second but I've seen that in so many kids Ryder. I know what I'm looking at. Plus, she always does this thing where she has to have something in her hands which is a dead give away that she’s got some kind of anxiety issues.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa had responded to a fear trigger after being grabbed, a textbook case of abuse. More and more things fell into place as she thought about it. The little comforting motions she did, the cold front she put up, the way she reacted to being caught in a personal moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It does sound like it…” Ryder said slowly, and Maren sighed at his agreement. “Are you going to bring it up?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I can’t just bring something like that up. If she doesn’t want to talk about it then she’ll just lash out at me and it might make everything worse.” She replied, not knowing herself what the best course of action was. Though her job as a counsellor was to pick up and try to deal with these kinds of situations, it wasn’t part of her job to intrude in the teachers lives. Especially not her own boss’.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That’s fair enough…” Ryder hummed, seeming to ponder something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What? I can hear you thinking?” She said, letting a small smile form despite her now miserable mood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I was just… do you think it could all be related?” She knew what he was talking about, and frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t know. I doubt it, there isn’t really any connection.” Her head cocked to the side and she shut her eyes, feeling a headache forming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah you're right, sorry.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t think Elsa herself is as much of a problem here as I thought to be honest. She’s mean to people, but I don’t think it would be much different even if she wasn’t like that. The more I talk to the kids here the more I'm wondering if the pressure to achieve the grades is the problem. Maybe this Hans kid… I don’t know yet.?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     After seeing Elsa in the library, and finding out how she treated people in need, she was starting to cross Elsa off of her list of potential issues within the running of the school. Not that that actually answered any of her questions. In fact, the more she learnt the worse her concern grew. What else was going on in this school that she hadn’t figured out yet? </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>SO! Maren's got her work cut out.</p>
<p>Farronatic - I think Elsa would have been FAR more flustered if she was reading the smut hahahaha maybe later ;)</p>
<p>sasha272 - Oh my god the catching the love interest as they are falling trope is one of the cutest. I love it so much! </p>
<p>Chuck_Vic_Norris - Great to see you coming back for more! I love the reaction pictures, they make my day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>PLEASE READ:<br/>Okay, for any of you who get to this point and are concerned about continuing because of the abuse trigger, please be aware that there will be a warning at the start of any chapters mentioning it. I will also put a brief chapter summary at the end of those chapters so if you want you can chose to skip it without missing out.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 6</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maren found her gaze drawn to Elsa much more frequently from then on. She saw her everywhere: in the parking lot, the library, making coffee, walking to her office. Somehow she had gone three weeks with barely any sight of the woman, and now she seemed to be catching glances of her all over the place. It had crossed her mind that maybe she was going crazy, or that her obsession over finding out what was wrong with people had gone one step too far. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adding to the crazed feeling was the red haired girl who had taken to glaring at her constantly. Part of her wondered if she wanted to talk to her about some kind of problem, and was too nervous, but the part of her that was terrified of the angry glares was telling her to avoid getting too close lest she try to attack her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” a voice said, and she turned towards the sound. Ella smiled brightly at her, placing a cup of coffee down in front of her, which she accepted with a happy groan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> are a lifesaver.” she said. She hadn’t been sleeping well, and although she had settled into a good routine at the school, she was still struggling to feel entirely comfortable there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look like you haven’t slept in days. What’s up?” Ella asked. They were in the art department, supervising the students who had shown up to the respite group. Mondays she spend the break with Mattias, Tuesday with Rapunzel, and Thursdays with Ella. She appreciated the company, and their dedication, but it seemed like they enjoyed relaxing away from the other teachers just as much as the students enjoyed being away from the rest of the school.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just not sleeping well. I’m fine really.” She said, looking over to the two children reading by the window, and then over to Kristoff and his friend Olaf who were teaching a few people she hadn’t seen before how to play a board game. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, and I take it the spike in your caffeine intake is totally healthy to huh?” Maren threw the girl a disgruntled glare, sighing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>... “ Maren said, making Ella grin. “I’m just finding things a bit difficult that's all. I’m worried about my brother, and the pressure of trying to fix the problems here while not upsetting the </span>
  <em>
    <span>parents</span>
  </em>
  <span> is harder than I expected. Plus, Miss Winters definitely hates me, and I think one of the students here is plotting my murder…. Also I have to call the board tomorrow because it's been a month and I'm nervous.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ella laughed as she rushed out the words, pulling a face as she finally got to the root of the problem. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m no counsellor, but I take it the meeting with the board is the real problem here?” She asked, smiling kindly at Maren, who slumped further down into her chair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… I don’t know what to tell them. I mean, how do I say `the pressure you put on the school to achieve such high grades is messing with the kids health, and the parents are putting </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrible</span>
  </em>
  <span> ideals in their heads to the point that I’m not sure this place is healthy for </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>`? Without having them fire me on the spot?” She worried her lip between her teeth, wincing as she tugged on a bit that she had already bitten raw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a good question.” Ella’s eyes widened, realising just how awkward that meeting would go. “You have to be honest, but you’re right, you can't just go in guns blazing. If they don’t fire you then Miss Winters definitely will.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly. This whole place is a minefield of problems.” They sat quietly for a moment, Ella not seeming to have much advice to offer her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Speaking of Miss Winters…” Ella said carefully, quickly making sure the students were busy. “Did… something happen between the two of you?” Her head was lowered, but she trained her eyes on Maren curiously. Maren’s heart began to race, not wanting to get too deep into that particular conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just that argument that I mentioned. Why?” She must have looked nervous because Ella raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I know everyone hates her, and considering how she acts with people i’m not saying they shouldn’t, but… the way she’s been with</span>
  <em>
    <span> you</span>
  </em>
  <span> this week? I don’t know what happened, but please be careful.” Ella gave her a pleading look, and Maren couldn’t stop herself from asking the question she had been wondering about for the past month.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you and El-Miss Winters friends? You seem to know more about her than everyone else.” Maren sat up, taking a sip of her coffee while she took in the woman's response. Ella wasn’t good at hiding her discomfort, and she immediately started fidgeting, tucking some hair behind her ear and not meeting her gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We… no, I suppose we aren’t really.” She smiled, but it was the fakest expression Maren had seen all week. “But I do care about her well being.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren nodded, wanting to push further, but not wanting to be rude. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t like… date? Did you?” She asked awkwardly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ella looked up in shock, and laughed when she saw that Maren was serious about her question. A small blush crept onto the woman's cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Miss Nattura, we didn’t date.” She laughed again. “As gorgeous as she is, I’m not that way inclined I'm afraid.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…” Maren chuckled lightly, not sure if she had crossed a line. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no, don’t worry. Back in school a few people thought…” Ella suddenly looked uncertain, and gave Maren a funny look. “What’s your view on homosexuality?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” The question confused her for a second, but she quickly realised Ella was making sure Maren wasn’t homophobic before saying anything else. “Oh! I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> that way inclined, so… my view is good?” She grinned, and Ella smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wondered, you’re not exactly subtle about the way you eye up Elsa.” She slipped up, calling Elsa by her first name in front of the students, but a quick look told them no one had noticed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>eye her up!” She said, swatting her arm playfully in offense. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh huh, sure. If you’re not angry at her you’re looking at her ass…. Which she also does to </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>actually.” Ella’s voice was almost inaudible, but Maren heard it nonetheless, almost dropping her mug in shock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She squeaked, and Ella covered her mouth with a hand to stop herself laughing and alerting the children to this particular topic of conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s true!” Ella said, and Maren’s face heated up. She felt flustered, heart beating fast as her brain tried to comprehend the information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But… she hates me?” She said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to like each other to be attracted to one another.” Ella raised a valid point, and Maren huffed in response, still feeling shocked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span> if you could stop fighting all the time you might actually get along.” Ella added quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren scoffed at that. Even if Elsa was nice underneath her cold exterior, and even with the knowledge of her issues, it didn’t change the fact that she was plain mean to people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I doubt that.” She said, but the conversation left a seed of confusion inside of her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“By the way,” Ella said, and there was a playful tone to her voice that made Maren suspicious, “I was thinking you could come to the music room and listen to me play tomorrow? You said you wanted to see what I get up to every Friday lunch time right?” The smirk on her face made Maren frown, but she nodded anyway. She</span>
  <em>
    <span> had</span>
  </em>
  <span> been curious when she noticed that Ella was always absent on a friday lunch time, but Mattias had simply said she used the time for practising music.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, sounds great, I can come straight after my meeting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the end of lunch, Kristoff followed her to her office. They had planned a session to talk more, and seeing as he had taken to showing up to every respite group it had seemed appropriate to book it in straight after. They sat down, both of them wearing light smiles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So Kristoff, last week you said you wanted to talk about something in particular? What was that about?” She asked, genuinely curious what had him so antsy in their session the week before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay… yeah um- so-” He stumbled over his words, face going red. Maren tried to remain neutral and allow him time, but the clear embarrassment was awkward to watch. “I wanted to ask about… girls.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren was shocked. It wasn’t exactly an area she was used to discussing with her clients, but she had expected that working in a school would also come with that kind of territory. She took a deep breath, not entirely sure of how to navigate relationship advice when she was more classically trained in mental health and child trauma. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, girls as a whole, or is there someone in particular?” She asked, quickly putting away the notepad she used, deciding she probably didn’t need to make too many notes during this session.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Someone in particular.” He said, and Maren couldn’t help but find the vibrant flush on his cheeks sweet. He had proven himself to be a kind, funny, and shy boy, and she knew he would make a fantastic boyfriend to someone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me about her.” She said, leaning back. If she could figure out his relationship to the girl, and how he felt about her, it would be easier to walk him through it all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s perfect, Miss Nattura! She’s funny, and clumsy, and her grades aren’t that great but she doesn’t let it get to her. She’s sporty, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> she rides horses! Plus, she’s beautiful… she’s got these little freckles…” There was a dopey grin on his face when he spoke about her, and Maren had to agree that in theory she sounded lovely. It surprised her that he had picked out two of what would usually be negative traits and highlighted them as good things, before even mentioning her attractiveness. It sounded like more than just a simple crush.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kristoff, how long have you liked this girl?” She asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since I came here, I met her a month or two after I started at the school. She threw something and it hit me in the face.” He chuckled, and Maren had to laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you talk to her much?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sometimes… not much. She always waves at me when she sees me, and sometimes we’ll have a proper conversation, but she’s in the year below so we don’t have classes together or anything.” He relaxed into the conversation as he got past his initial embarrassment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what's the problem? Are you too nervous to ask her out or...?” She was struggling to understand the issue. He seemed to honestly like her, and she knew he existed which was a good start for a high school relationship. They shared an interest in horses, and if he liked her flaws then they had a good chance, assuming she liked him too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's not that. I mean it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> that, but it's more than that. She likes someone else. She likes </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hans</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The sneer that accompanied his words was to be expected considering his preexisting hatred for the boy. Warning bells set off in Maren's head. Hans was known for being a troublemaker, and if this girl was interested in him then she clearly didn’t have good taste.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah. I see the issue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but I don't want to leave school this year and never see her again without </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span>. If she says no then that's fine, but I don’t want her getting involved with him Miss Nattura. He’s… he’s really bad.” Kristoff began to fidget, uncomfortable. It was becoming a noticeable habit in all the students she had seen, to avoid the subject of Hans, and it made Maren nervous. Something was going on with that boy besides him just being mean, and each time his name was brought up she was more and more inclined to learn the truth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kristoff… Maybe if I knew why he was so bad I could do something about it.” She knew that probing into Hans’ role in the school could put a sharp end to their conversation, but he was too affected by it for her to simply let it go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-” He shut himself up quickly, and frowned, looking away. “He’s just mean. But Anna seems to think he’s this wonderful guy…” She hadn’t gotten anything out of Kristoff about Hans, but she </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span> gotten a name for this mystery girl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anna. That’s a nice name. Why do you think she sees him that way and you don’t?” She tried a different tack, hoping to figure out what this girl saw instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He keeps his… business… private from girls like her. He’s suave and funny so they just see him as some kind of Prince Charming. They don't get to see what he’s really like.” Kristoff said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren didn’t want to make notes and show him that she was hanging onto every word he said about Hans, but she filed the information safely into her memory for later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, well it seems like there isn't much you can do about her feelings for Hans, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying to win her over.” Maren suggested. “You don’t even have to ask her out. You could just try and find ways to spend more time together, and if things go well maybe she will start to like you over Hans?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kristoff cocked his head to the side, looking unsure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t really know how though.” He looked dejected. Obviously this was his first rendezvous with wooing someone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well you said she likes horses? Why don't you start by just asking her to brush them with you?” She offered. It was what she would do in that scenario. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That… is actually a great idea. It's on home territory for both of us, so it won't seem weird either!” Maren was a little confused by his words, but smiled at his excitement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay! Awesome!” He stood up, and Maren was surprised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, okay. Was that all you needed today?” She asked, chuckling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I uh- yeah. For now.” He said, and headed out with a wave. “Thank you Miss Nattura!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren sighed lightheartedly. She was growing fond of Kristoff and his awkward laughs and sarcastic but shy humour. But despite her faith in his potential as a romantic partner, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> worried about what kind of damage a failed relationship could do to his already fragile emotions. She spent the next couple of minutes telling herself it was unprofessional to read into someone's file just because a student had a crush on them, but groaned as she realised she would eventually give in anyway, so why not now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anna… There were two Anna’s in the school, five if you included Annabelle and the two Anastasia's. Kristoff hadn’t given much information about her, but there was enough to make an educated guess. Not great grades: that rules out one one of the Anastasia's and Annabelle who were both exceptionally smart. Freckles: That rules out one Anna.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She flicked between Anna Fields, and Anastasia Romanoff. Her eyes landed on the blue eyes of Anna Fields and she realised suddenly that this was the girl who had been glaring daggers into her all week. With her curiosity peaked even further, she scrolled through the file, landing on the medical file with wide eyes. Whoever this Anna girl was, she was constantly ending up in the medical room for one thing or another. Her mind thought back to Kristoff saying his Anna was clumsy, and she threw her head back in annoyance as she came to the conclusion that </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kristoff’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> Anna was actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>stalker.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great. Fucking… great.” She grumbled. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Anna is in the picture now! And Ella is showing her playful side a little too which is nice. She gets to be a bit of a catalyst for Maren having to face up to her attraction to Elsa.</p>
<p>Kamaro0917 - That ominous vibe is certainly what Elsa gives off... I love the connection! </p>
<p>FuzzySandwitch - Both of your comments were great! Figuring out Maren's personality flaws was really important to me in this fic. She needed to be emotionally driven, to the point of being hot-headed. She is far from perfect, but she is trained to notice her flaws and TRY to make herself better. Your comments are so nice, thank you x</p>
<p>Namie - You'll have to wait a bit to find out too much about the root of the abuse. Great ideas there though ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 7</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura!” One of the men who had interviewed her came forward to shake her hand. She had agreed to meet the board representatives at a restaurant late morning. She had cleared it with Elsa, who had fought back what looked to be a series of angry retorts, before waving her approval. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mr Weselton, nice to see you again.” She didn’t exactly mean it, but it paid to keep them on her good side considering the report she was going to give them. The short man wiggled his moustache, and Maren clenched her jaw, seeing everything she hated about the rich in his smarmy expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mmn, yes…” He squinted suspiciously at her, and she immediately felt like she was on trial. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren moved her gaze to the other two men who had shown up, both around the same as Mr Weselton seemed to be. Their combed grey hair and fancy clothing set her on edge in the same way they had during her interview. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mr Isles, Mr Frollo.” She shook their hands, and they headed over to a table. She had thought it odd that they had asked to meet in a restaurant, but as they ordered their `usual` lunch and wine she quickly realised they had invited her to their private luncheon. It wasn’t the meeting she had planned, and although she would normally like having a less formal setting, it spoke of a lack of formality about the issues she was there to discuss. It annoyed her, and she glared at the closed menu sat in front of her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Any food for the lady?” The waiter spoke formally, and Maren wanted to walk out. She couldn’t afford anything in the place anyway, and she was still on the job, so why was she even there?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No, thank you.” She said, smiling awkwardly and handing him the menu. A quick glance around the room showed the distinct lack of women. The venue choice didn’t fill her with hope.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No?” Mr Weselton asked, raising his brows. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ll buy you a drink if you can't afford it darling?” Mr Isles spoke from opposite her, and her entire body tensed at his words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That's kind, but I drove here.” She looked at the waiter. “Just a water please.” He nodded and walked away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So,” she started, eager to get on with it, “about the Acade-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Straight to business are we? Can’t it wait until we have our drinks at least?” Mr Isles said with a laugh, and the others chuckled too. “Oh, have you met my son yet?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Your son?” She asked, not releasing any of the board had children in the school. It made sense when she thought about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes, Hans. Bit of a wet blanket really.” He said, and Maren had to stop her mouth from dropping open. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans is your son?” She asked, panic setting in. He laughed, nodding. “Oh, um… I haven’t spoken to him in person, im afraid.” She might not like the boy, but she felt for him having  this smug man as a role model. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Good. I’d be embarrassed if he started telling you he had a load of problems at school.” His eyes widened and he shook his head of the thought. Maren bit her tongue against a retort. Views like that were what drove boys with mental health problems to take their lives, ashamed of asking for help.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The waiter brought over the drinks, and she quickly grabbed the glass of water.  Funnelling Elsa’s techniques and pressing her fingers into the side of it, she tried to steady herself. It was surprisingly effective, and after a few deep breaths she felt prepared to try again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So,” Mr Frollo said, “do tell us how you’re finding the school.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well, I think... “ She paused debating what to say. On one hand, she wanted to tell them how horrible the school was, and how it was causing undue stress on all of the children, but on the other, she knew she was risking getting fired, and she couldn’t afford to do that… not yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I think there are a few problems, but overall it’s a very </span>
  <em>
    <span>impressive</span>
  </em>
  <span> Academy.” She said, emphasising the positives. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Ah, yes, it is rather impressive isn’t it.” Mr Frollo grinned smugly, and Maren hated him for it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Pray tell, what are the problems you speak of?” Mr Weselton asked, frowning suspiciously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh, just little things. I’ve started a group during lunch times to allow some of the struggling children to have a place to go.” She saw then look at each other nervously, and quickly followed it up. “It's something a lot of schools do nowadays, and putting something like that in place will </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> show people you’re making an effort.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The change in her plans had the desired effect, and all three men nodded merrily, taking sips of their alcoholic drinks. Maren was starting to realise what Elsa had meant on the day they had first met about them being </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh so empathetic</span>
  </em>
  <span> about Oliver. It was all for show, just to convince the public they were doing something so they wouldn’t get investigated further. They had hired a young, lower class, tanned skinned woman to show just how </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span> they were. It made her feel sick. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well, it certainly sounds like you’re doing a good job there, doll.” Mr Isles winked at her, and she felt a cold shiver of discomfort roll over her.  “Maybe you can get Elsa to smile a little more while you're there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That would be a miracle!” Mr Frollo commented. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren wanted to punch them. She wasn’t violent at all, but their attitudes were horrendous. Elsa had been dealing with these men by herself for the past two years in her role as headmistress, and possibly even longer if her father had dragged her into the business at a younger age. She could only imagine what the woman had been forced to grin and bear to keep them sweet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     As they continued to joke about Elsa being uptight Maren kept quiet, wishing she could go back and take back any defence she had afforded them when Elsa had been angry. The board seemed to be just as much of an obstacle for change as the parents were going to be. It was starting to seem like an impossible task, and surprisingly the one person who she had thought was against her was turning out to be her biggest ally. Perhaps their shared hatred for the board and the parents could be the bridge between her and Elsa they so sorely needed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The waiter brought out the food, placing down meals that she could see were more expensive than anything she had ordered in her life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>gentlemen</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She said, throwing on a sickeningly sweet smile. “It's been </span>
  <em>
    <span>lovely</span>
  </em>
  <span> to see you again, but i'm afraid I have to get back to work.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh, so soon?” Mr Isles asked, but his attention was on his food. They had gotten the information they needed, and as such she was no longer important. It made her wonder if they even intended for her to stay for the whole lunch at all, or if they were hoping she would leave. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m afraid so. Thank you for meeting me.” She said, standing up. “Goodbye.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     They mumbled farewells, and she swiftly turned to leave, making her way outside as quickly as she could. When she got onto the street she felt her eyes fill up with tears, angry hot ones that she clenched her teeth to fight off. At her fast pace she made it to her bike in a matter of minutes, and she shoved her helmet on angrily, breath coming out in short, sharp bursts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Kicking the motorbike into life, she sped out of town, not heading back to the school. She had left the meeting earlier than expected, so she knew that she had enough time to procrastinate before heading back to work. A car beeped at her as she sped past it, barely making it through a junction before the lights changed to red. It was dangerous, and she was mad at herself for letting the board get to her, but she couldn’t help the burning hatred inside of her from spinning out of control. It wasn’t long before she was out of the town, having taken every shortcut she knew to get to the long stretch of country road that led to the hills. She raced down it, letting out a loud yell into her helmet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     When she got to the top of the hill she stopped her bike sharply off of the road, and climbed off. She pulled away her helmet, throwing it angrily down onto the grass. The tears she was holding back started to fall, and she threw a hard punch into the tree next to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She </span>
  <em>
    <span>cared</span>
  </em>
  <span> about these kids, about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oliver</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and she felt hopeless. There were plenty of schools like Arendelle Academy around the country, all with boards just as disgusting and corrupt at this one. How many thousands of children were being forced to fight with each other over power and money just to please their parents and the school board. How many Elsa’s were out there, being hurt and then told to conceal the pain behind a wall of malice and emotionlessness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She pulled out her phone, sniffing. Her hand hurt, but she managed to call her brother without much difficulty. He picked up instantly, knowing she had the meeting today. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Ryder?” She said wetly as soon as she heard him answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What's wrong? Are you crying?” He sounded worried, and it only made a fresh wave of tears fall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “The board is fucked </span>
  <em>
    <span>up</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Ryder. It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>fucked up. They never cared about Oliver, and they don’t even care about their </span>
  <em>
    <span>own</span>
  </em>
  <span> kids, let alone the rest of the students. All they want is to cover up this whole thing and go back to treating those helpless children like trash so they get more money.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh…” Ryder replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren wiped her face, feeling calmer after shouting out all of her frustration. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m so done, Ryder. I was angry before, that's why I took the job, but now…” She stared out over the town, seeing the Academy in the distance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I know Maren, I know. We can help them, though. Just stick to the plan, okay? We can help.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     When she got back to the school, she didn’t bother cleaning herself up much, settling for wiping her face on her shirt to get the tear tracks off, and headed straight towards the music room where she had promised to meet Ella. She was a little later than she had planned, and there was only half of lunch left, but there was still time to see her play. The idea of sitting and listening to Ella sounded like exactly what she needed, though she wasn’t entirely sure what instrument the woman even played.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     As she got closer to the music department she heard a soft melody float down the halls, and a weak smile formed. The halls were empty in this section of the school, as it was the farthest from the cafeteria and staff room, and the peacefulness of it was welcomed. It was rare she listened to classical music, but she recognised the sound of a cello quickly, accompanied by a piano. She didn’t think about it until she rounded the corner into the large open music room, assuming that a student had joined Ella. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Instead, as she stood blankly in the doorway, the gentle sound of the song washing over her, her eyes landed on Ella and Elsa, playing in perfect harmony together. No thoughts ran through her head in that moment, and she just watched. The beauty with which they were playing together made Maren’s chest constrict, and her breathing stopped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren didn’t know the song, but whatever it was, she was sure it must sound better in that moment than during any other performance on earth. Both women were focused on their instruments, unaware of her presence. She slowly walked behind them, sitting on a chair at the back of the room as quietly as she could. The trophy in Elsa’s office made a lot more sense after hearing her play. She was excellent, and Maren found herself staring at the woman in a whole new light, her annoyance stripped away and replaced by her hatred for those above her. Fingers danced over the keys effortlessly, excitedly almost. There was a bright concentration in Elsa’s eyes that made her look… happy. Maren smiled, a warmth blossoming fondly in her chest, making the negativity from the meeting ebb away slowly. Content to simply listen, she shut her eyes with a silent sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The women continued for another minute or two, until Maren heard a flat note, and the piano suddenly stopped, followed by the cello. There was a small gasp, and Maren opened her eyes, looking out into the icy blue of Elsa's. The mirror on the opposite side of the room must have given away her presence, and she kicked herself for not staying by the door and out of sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You made it!” Ella said, and both Elsa and Maren turned to look at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sorry I was late.” She smiled at her friend, and then looked back to Elsa, whose eyes were wide in shock. “That was beautiful.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa’s cheeks flushed, and Ella looked ecstatic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you.” Elsa said quietly, and Maren smiled warmly at her. A small hint of smile tugged at the side of Elsa's lips too, and it only served to make Ella’s face brighten even further. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I knew you’d like it!” She said, standing up and putting aside her cello. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How long have you been playing together?” Maren asked, looking between the two women curiously. At this point it seemed obvious that Ella had set up for her to find them during practise. For whatever reason, she didn’t feel comfortable telling Maren anything about Elsa, but she wanted her to find out somehow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We played in the orchestra together when we studied here. There’s a photo over there on the wall.” Ella pointed to the far wall, and Elsa's brows shot up as she looked at Ella in panic. Maren got up and headed to the picture. She found the two women quickly in the gold framed image, sitting next to each other in the front row of the group picture. They looked like some of the youngest there, leading Maren to believe they must have been in their first year at the Academy at the time. Both of them wore wide smiles, and Maren held her breath as she looked at the joyous expression on the `ice princess’` face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wow, you two really do go back!” She turned back to the others, and their smiles fell slightly. A thick tension followed the change in expression, and Maren filed the response away in her memory. Something must have happened to make their friendship fall apart, but the love for music and fondness for each other seemed to remain despite it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I should… go.” Elsa said after a moment, swallowing and picking up the glasses she sat on the top of the grand piano. As she turned to leave, Maren moved quickly towards her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hang on, Elsa, I wanted to talk to you.” She said, noticing that Elsa stopped breathing the moment she said her first name. “I need to apologise. I saw the board just now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa sighed, seeming to realise what the problem was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I take it they weren’t quite the same as they were in your interview?” She asked, and she sounded miserable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No. They weren’t.” She ran a hand through her hair, pushing her fringe back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa frowned worriedly, suddenly reaching up and grabbing her hand. She pulled it down, inspecting it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What happened to your hand?!” She asked, and the concern in her voice set Maren’s heart racing. She hadn’t noticed the red marks covering her knuckles, or the slight tear in the skin on her forefinger. Elsa looked up into her eyes, searching them for something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I uh- pretended a tree was the lovely Mr Isles.” She said with a shrug. Elsa raised an eyebrow judgingly, but the small smirk that played on her face softened it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I see. Maybe next time you could just punch your pillow?” She lowered her eyes back to Maren’s hand, brushing a thumb gently over the damaged skin. It wasn’t bad, and Maren knew from experience that it would heal in a day or two </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Y-yeah. Will do.” Maren was scared to do so much as twitch a finger, not wanting to ruin whatever moment they seemed to be having. It didn’t matter though, because after a few more seconds Elsa lowered her arms, letting Maren's hand fall to her side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I need to get going, I'm covering a class for Miss Adams.” She took a step back, closing the lid of the piano. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You teach?” Maren asked, surprised by the information. Elsa chuckled lightly, and Maren was amazed that she still had her guard down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I taught English here before I was headmistress.” She told her, walking a few steps towards forward but then pausing. “I have somewhere to be later so I can't go over your weekly report with you. Monday?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sure.” Maren said, trying to blink away the dumbstruck expression she was wearing. Elsa gave her a once over, sending a tickle of warmth through her body, and then turned to walk away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren and Ella stood there wearing matching expressions of awe, though for entirely different reasons. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That… was art.” Ella said, raising a finger to point at the empty doorway, and grinning from ear to ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What?” Maren said, looking at her confusedly. Her brain had turned to mush somewhere around the time Elsa had stroked her hand. Or maybe it was when she smiled? She couldn’t remember.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You just </span>
  <em>
    <span>melted</span>
  </em>
  <span> the ice princess. I haven’t seen her act like that since… well, a while.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren’s heart beat was out of sync, and she realised her curiosity about Elsa was starting to feel an awful lot like something else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     This wasn’t part of the plan.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Elsa is cute, and I love her. A few people have commented or asked personally if Elsa has powers here, so I wanted to clarify that she doesn't (I did think about it but I decided against it)</p>
<p>FuzzySandwitch - I read this out to my gf and we're both excited to see how you respond to the... later chapters hahaha It was interesting to compare your theories with my plot ;) </p>
<p>Arlnoff - I chuckled when you pointed out that typo. I give each chapter a quick read through for spelling errors but no one else reads them so i usually miss stuff. Every now and then I find a duplicate word or a spelling, grammar mistake after posting and i'm like.... fuck...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 8</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     Monday arrived slowly, and Maren’s frustration grew with each passing day, unable to get Elsa off of her mind. Her stomach was in knots the whole weekend, and it was worse being back in the school. She had declined her brothers call on Sunday, shooting a quick text about not feeling well, when in reality she simply couldn’t face telling him about what was going on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She stayed on her bike for a few minutes longer than she should that morning, helmet sat on the ground next to her as she breathed in the fresh, crisp air. Only a few teachers were around, as she had come in early after not sleeping well, and to her surprise there were a few students milling around the area too. If her memory served her well, students at her own school were never more than a few minutes early, but she supposed having parents who prioritise work over affection could change things. Once again she found herself wondering about what kind of home life some of these children might have had, but it led her back to the thought of Oliver and she pushed the thoughts away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Unfortunately, her worries shifted back to Elsa quickly enough, as a figure caught her eye around the side of the building. The platinum blonde braid was all she needed to see to know it was the headmistress, and her gaze was suddenly glued to her. The wind was chilly, but Elsa looked perfectly comfortable with the temperature even in a skirt. Her ruffled, purple shirt looked like it was silk, and Maren had the strongest urge to touch the fabric. The hatred she had been feeling towards the woman had slipped away from her grasp the moment she realised Elsa’s attitude was a facade. There were so many things beating Elsa down, the board, her abuser, the school itself… it made sense that she had become who she needed to be to get through it. Her attitude still left her frustrated, but more than anything she just wanted to learn more about her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Elsa was on the phone, angry at someone on the other end from the looks of it. The board maybe? Her father? An ex? Maren suddenly realised she didn’t even know if Elsa was single, and the idea that the person hurting her could be a lover made her skin crawl and her fists clench firmly around the handles of her bike. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Elsa raised a hand to her head, leaning softly against the wall. Maren couldn’t help herself from taking in the woman’s figure, once again finding the curve of her waist and hips calling to the more primal desires within her. This time she stopped herself from pushing the thoughts aside, deciding that the more she drove them away the more she would be affected by them. It was a simple therapy technique, one that she promoted constantly, but it didn’t make it any more natural. There was a slight hitch in her breath as she entertained the idea of kissing Elsa against that very wall. Her hands ached to feel her hips and hair in their grasp, but she knew it was something she couldn’t allow outside of her mind. It would only lead to everyone getting hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She slid off of her bike, unzipping her jacket to give her hands something to do. When she looked up from the black leather she jumped, coming face to face with none other than Anna Fields. Her copper hair was tied in braided pigtails, which in theory should have been cute, but when paired with the death glare she was wearing looked surprisingly formidable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Hey.” Anna said, sounding angry. Maren wished she wasn’t as terrified of the girl as she happened to be, but the commitment this girl had to staring at her was impressive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Uh, hi?” She replied, not sure how to react. Anna was a step too close to be comfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “What are your intentions with my sister?” Anna asked, crossing her arms firmly over her chest and raising her eyebrows questioningly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren’s jaw dropped. Anna was sixteen, and whoever her sister was was surely a student here too. Being accused of having any intentions with a student could not only get her fired, but ruin her reputation for good. Her heart began to race. Thinking back to the female students she had seen for counselling, none of them had Anna’s last name, nor looked anything like her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Listen, Anna right?” The girl nodded. “I don’t know who your sister is, but I assure you I have no intentions whatsoever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Anna simply rolled her eyes, scoffing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh sure, tell that to her ass, seeing as you seem to love looking at it so much!” Anna said angrily, but she kept her tone hushed. Maren frowned, looking quickly around them to make sure no one could overhear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Anna, I don't know what you think you’ve been seeing, but I would never act that way towards a student. It's highly inappropriate and I don’t appreciate you suggesting such a thing.” She tried to sound sincere rather than panicked, but there was a seriousness to her voice that betrayed her concern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “What?” Anna said, clearly confused. She recoiled with a frustrated huff. “Elsa isn’t a student…?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren’s mind went blank. She blinked slowly, not comprehending the information. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Elsa? As in Miss Winters?” She asked, unsure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You didn’t know?” Anna said, her anger replaced with shock as she seemed to finally understand that Maren really didn’t know they were related. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “But your names… and hair?” It might not have been the most coherent thing to have said to a student, but in that moment she was lost for anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “She’s my half sister. Now… do you want to fuck her or not?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Anna!” She whispered harshly, pinning her with an angry glare. She received one of accusation in return, and her head began to hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You’re not exactly subtle about it you know. Not that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>noticed much.” Anna sighed as she looked over to her sister, her expression softening as her brows furrowed with worry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren also returned her gaze to Elsa, running her eyes slowly over every inch of her. The woman turned to face the parking lot, and her eyes landed on Maren and Anna, lips seizing movement as she took in the scene. They kept their eyes trained on each other for one, two, three seconds before Elsa tore hers away to continue her argument. Maren took a deep breath, unaware that she had apparently been holding it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Uh-huh, great job convincing me there.” Anna said, and Maren turned to stare frustratedly into the now recognisably blue eyes of the headmistress’ sister. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “We just looked at each other!” She said, throwing a hand up and then grabbing her helmet. Other teachers were starting to arrive, and she didn’t have time to waste being judged by a child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Yeah, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> looked like you wanted to eat her alive!” Maren had started walking, but Anna was hot on her tail, refusing to let up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I dont just want to fuck Elsa!” Maren said angrily, but carefully hushed. It already looked odd for her to be talking to a student before school even started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “So you have actual feelings for her then?” Anna said, and when Maren twirled around, eyes wide, she noticed the smirk on the girls face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “That’s not what I said!” Her voice raised in pitch. They were just outside of the front doors, and Maren quickly realised that if this kept up much longer the teachers who had just arrived would walk past and hear them. The library was the closest, private space she could think of, and it would have to do. “Library, now.” She said commandingly, and Anna shrugged, following her inside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Okay,” she said when she was inside and had made sure no one else was there, “you cannot keep saying things like that where people could hear.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You’re the one who keeps perving on her </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> just admitted to liking her.” Anna said smugly, leaning against a bookcase and crossing her arms. Maren couldn’t help but think that this girl would be the death of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I did not say that.” Maren countered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “But that was what you meant. Wasn’t it?” It didn’t seem like Anna really wanted a reply, but she tried anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “No, I-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Elsa tells me about your little conversations you know? She always shows up annoyed and frustrated and then when I ask her about it it's always you.” Anna took a step towards her, and Maren’s panicked frown deepened. “She doesn’t talk about </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But she talks about </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Anna waited a second, her forceful gaze rendering Maren speechless in the same way Elsa's did when she was annoyed with her. The words struck a chord within her, but she tamed the whirling emotions, forcing them behind bars where they couldn’t ruin everything she was working on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Miss Winters is my boss. There is nothing between us, Anna.” She wished her voice sounded more certain, and not like she was trying to convince herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Whether you admit it or not doesn’t really matter. But if you hurt her I will personally make sure your life is hell.” Anna replied, not taking her eyes off of Marens for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     They glared at each other for a few seconds, Maren biting back the anger she could feel swirling under her skin. It wasn’t clear what the rage was directed at, probably herself more than Anna,  because she knew deep down that the girl was right even if she didn’t want her to be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Get to class, Anna.” She said, looking away. The red haired girl sighed, taking a step back with her head held high. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     No more words were exchanged, Anna not seeming to have anything more to say, and Maren not able to think clearly enough to come up with something she could say safely. Really, she was being kind by not confirming that she was starting to have feelings for Elsa, because it couldn’t come to anything, so why give either of them hope. Maren couldn’t watch Anna retreat, looking resolutely at a shelf of books while her footsteps faded away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     The rest of the morning she half-heartedly spoke to a few students about their academic problems, not able to concentrate fully. Anna’s words were playing on repeat in her head like they were on a broken tape. The expression on her face when she had pinned her with `its always you` made her chest ache. Anna had looked physically pained, in a way that Maren couldn’t decode no matter how many times she reviewed it. Perhaps it was annoyance, at her sister giving someone else attention? Or protectiveness, after being brought up with a cold family? Maybe a splash of fear… did she know about whatever issues Elsa was dealing with, and was worried about a repeat? Was Elsa’s abuse something Anna was also suffering from? The amount of times she had been to the medical room for being `clumsy` flashed back in her mind and she closed her eyes with a sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     There was no evidence for any of it, and no real confirmation that she was even right in her suspicions anyway. But Anna was a child, and she couldn’t turn a blind eye if she had any concerns about her well-being. It gave her a bit of room to move, to find out more about what was going on, but that also meant getting closer to both women. It wasn’t the best situation, but she was sure she could stay in control as long as she kept focusing on her goal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She was a little late getting to the respite group, after a session had overrun, but Mattias was already there waiting for her when she arrived. He grinned at her, and it lifted her mood a little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura! I thought you might have finally run away from this… excellent facility…” He said, eliciting a chuckle from Maren.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Not quite yet, though I’m starting to wonder about it.” She looked around and frowned. There were easily double the number of children in the room than usual. “What’s with the numbers?” She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You know its exam week next week for the older students? Looks like they’re overworking themselves as usual.” He said, looking around too as Maren took a seat next to him. There were a few people playing games or drawing, but most of them were studying intently. Their focus was insane, and Maren couldn’t comprehend the level of commitment to getting good grades. It certainly hadn’t been normal in her school at least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “This looks… like a bit more than overworking Mat-Mr Sterling.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren took in the faces of the students, the confused frown turning into one of concern. The room was almost filled, and that was over a week before the tests began. Most of the students looked intensely focused, eyes almost too bright, and their movements exact as they flipped over book pages and jotted down notes. Several of them already had dark circles under their eyes, signalling that this must have started over the weekend and well into the nights. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “This can’t be healthy?” She said. A few of them looked sick, and though it wasn’t uncommon to find a kid huddled up in the corner of a hallway looking tired, this seemed extreme. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “It’s not. But this happens every time there is any kind of test. Doesn’t even need to be a big one, but those are the worst. They get like this and then it seems to hit them all at once and they all get ill.” He shook his head, taking a bite out of a muffin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren tried to relax, but the air in the room felt electric. Eventually she noticed Tobi in the corner of the room, studying by himself. He looked happy, concentrated, but… off. Eventually Maren decided she didn’t like it, and headed over to him with a quick “I’ll be right back” to Mattias. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Tobi!” She said with a smile, and he looked up, blinking rapidly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura! Hi!” His energy was visible, and Maren raised an eyebrow. She had met with him a couple of times, and he never greeted her like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You seem… chipper?” It was the best description she could come up with. He laughed a little, and although it was casual, and not overly loud, it still put her on edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Just feeling positive. Getting some studying done nice and early!” His foot was tapping restlessly, an unusual habit for him, even when he was anxious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Yeah, that's a good idea…” Maren gave him another once over, and a sudden thought hit her. “Tobi, do you drink coffee?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Coffee? No, it’s gross. Why?” He cocked his head and licked his lips, confused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “No reason. Enjoy studying.” She smiled falsely, and walked back to Mattias. Her face must have betrayed her suddenly stormy temper, because Mattias looked nervous. She sat back down, clenching her jaw as she looked out across the wide room, counting the number of students looking just like Tobi. Too many.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “They’re taking study drugs aren’t they?” Her voice was low, angry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Study drugs?” Mattias said, raising both eyebrows. “I don't know… actually… now that I think about it…probably.” He looked genuinely surprised, and Maren couldn’t help her anger from boiling over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Probably?! Mattias, look at them!” She whispered forcefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I- I don’t know the exact signs…” He said, sensing her emotional state. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Have they never give you any of you a training day in spotting drug misuse in students?” She asked, trying to reign in her tone. He shook his head, sinking into his chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “No… I- How many?” He said, a grave tone taking over as he gestured out to the students.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “At least half of the ones studying…” They were quiet for a few seconds and they looked out, Maren catching a student constantly licking his lips and sipping at water, very obviously suffering with a dry mouth. The signs weren’t even subtle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Where are they getting them from?” Mattias said, wording the same thought that Maren was mulling over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “It has to be someone in the school right?” She said, and he groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “This place gets worse every day doesn’t it.” He said, and not for the first time Maren wondered why he even taught there seeing as he seemed to hate it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Why do you work here? You don’t seem to like it at all.” She decided to just ask, looking at him with confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I don’t hate it as much as I make it seem.” He gave her a small smile. “I actually enjoy the job a lot, it’s just what the school stands for that I don’t agree with. But it pays far more than any other teachers jobs do, and it supports my family.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren couldn’t argue with that; the job did pay well. It didn’t pay much more than her last job, and that had been a decent wage, but for a teaching position it certainly outdid everywhere else. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The teaser scene is back and reworked!!! Ahh I missed this scene so much </p><p>Puppy Power Powdered Pickler and FuzzySandwitch - You're both onto something... ;)</p><p>Ka - Thank you for commenting! It makes me so happy to get comments from people who don't typically post them &lt;3</p><p>Farronatic - I had that scene in my head for so long haha I was so happy to finally write it! Hopefully you'll enjoy all the other sweet scenes when they come.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 9</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Once again she stood outside of Elsa's office, nerves racing through her. Though this time, her nerves weren’t for the same reasons as they had been after her first week. Before, she had been nervous about how mean Elsa might be, or that she would get fired before her work had even begun, but now… she worried that she might have another intimate moment with the headmistress. She wanted it, needed it really if she stood a chance of knowing what was going on with her, but she was terrified it might lead somewhere she couldn’t let it go. For the first time ever… she hoped Elsa was going to be mean.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Knock knock.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Her fist rapped against the wood, and she stood firm while she waited for the call from inside. It came quickly, and she opened the door and closed it without so much as a glance in Elsa’s direction. She was focused, determined to get through the meeting without allowing herself to stray.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura, how was your weekend?” Elsa asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It was only the first sentence, and it had already thrown Maren off. The tone was just as bland as usual, and her expression seemed calm, but the question itself was another matter entirely. Elsa never cared enough to even bother with small talk, and yet here she was, asking Maren about her days off and actually waiting for an answer. Her breath caught. Today just can't get any worse can it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Good. Yours?” She kept the answer short. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hmm…” Elsa hummed, pressing that giveaway of a thumb into a pen as Maren sat down opposite her. “It was eventful.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren wanted to ask, wanted to know why she had hesitated before answering, but she couldn’t press into it. Instead she forced herself to look down at the desk and start talking about work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So I have a few things to discuss today... Some of which I’m sure you won't like very much.” She chanced a look up, hating the fact that Elsa was watching her intently, the distinct lack of a frown on her face. Their combined hatred for the board had certainly done the trick of breaking through her icy personality. She wished it hadn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay, go ahead.” Elsa leaned back in her chair slightly and god did her neck look kissable in that shir- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shut up Maren! </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Um, yes.” She could feel her cheeks warming up. “So, I have concerns about a particular student - Hans Isles? Several students have bought him up during our sessions.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa tensed at the boy’s name, clenching her jaw. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m not one hundred percent sure </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> he’s doing, but the students are scared enough to change the subject straight after saying his name.” She continued, watching curiously as the headmistress gripped the pen in her hand in a death grip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m… aware Hans is a troublemaker.” Elsa said, and there was a thick tone of distaste to her words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do you know about him?” Maren asked, hoping she could shed some light on the situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t know much, but he’s manipulative. He’s always dragging the boys into trouble and then letting them take the fall… If you’re going to look into him you need to be careful though. His father is a piece of work, as you know, and his brothers are just like him. I know you want to help, but they can ruin your reputation in an instant if you cross them.” She gave Maren a serious look, and there was a hint of pleading there that pulled at her chest painfully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ll be careful, but I think it's important.” Maren said, letting a sad smile grace her face. Elsa nodded, seeming to respect her decision, but it was clear she wasn’t entirely comfortable with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Keep me informed. I’ll try to do as much damage control as I can if Mr Isles finds out.” Once again Elsa was offering something unexpectedly kind to try and help her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you.” She fought down the urge to reach out and soothe the anxiety visible in Elsa’s hand. The memory of the feel of those hands on her own sent a shiver through her, and she quickly moved on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “The other thing… is a bit more serious. I’m pretty sure half of your students are taking study drugs.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa’s eyes went wide, and the surprise was evident in the expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What?” She said, the surprise changing into a deep frown at the implication. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ve dealt with a lot of kids who take drugs, and study drugs in particular are common for kids who are stressed about grades. I haven’t seen any out right yet, but my respite group was full of kids showing all the signs.” She explained it carefully, trying to make sure it didn’t sound like an accusation. Elsa seemed incredibly concerned, leaning forward and tapping the pen against the desk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m aware the pressure here is… intense. But I didn’t think it had gotten to that point.” She sighed. “We’ve had one or two students caught with drugs before, but nothing major.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “If it was still one or two people I wouldn’t be so worried, but there were at least seven just in my group. If they're relying on them every time an exam comes up it could get out of control really fast.” As Maren spoke, Elsa nodded, agreeing with her level of concern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What kind of side effects do they cause?” Elsa asked cautiously, and Maren frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Uh, anxiety, agitation, sleep problems, heart palpitations, headaches... the usual.” The grim look on Elsa's face was worrying. “Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I was just… It’s nothing.” It didn’t seem like nothing, but Elsa continued swiftly. “Please continue your work. I’ll mention the issue during assembly, let the students know that drug use will not be tolerated on the school grounds. Hopefully you can try and figure out where the students are getting it from?” She asked, and Maren nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ll try, there are a few people I can talk to.” Part of her was leaning towards pinning the issue on Hans, but she knew that without any kind of evidence it would be unprofessional. Plus, there was a big difference between a bully and a dealer. She hoped Hans was simply the former.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     They paused, and Maren was about to wrap it up and leave, but Elsa started probing into something else instead. There was a shift in atmosphere just before she spoke, and Maren felt immediately awkward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura… what were you talking to Anna about this morning?” Elsa eventually asked, and her persona had frozen over once again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh, um…” She couldn’t tell Elsa about their conversation, so she fell back on her training. “You know I can't talk to you about my conversations with individual students.” She grimaced slightly, feeling bad. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course, you’re right. Do you... know who she is?” Elsa asked stiffly. Maren wondered if she would think of it as a breach of privacy to confirm that she did, but nor did she feel she could lie about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She mentioned your relation, yes.” A shiver passed over Maren, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had headed in. Elsa simply nodded, refusing to look into her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I see.” She didn’t seem angry, but her posture was rigid. After a second she continued. “Do you think…” Elsa spoke the words quickly, a sudden outburst, but clenched her jaw firmly against any more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What?” Maren prompted automatically. Elsa’s eye twitched, like she regretted saying anything. It took her a few seconds to battle through whatever concerns she had and keep going.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She’s… been agitated... not sleeping…” It sounded hard for her to get the words out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh…” Maren understood the meaning of her words. The change in behaviour could easily be a sign of her also using, and with the added knowledge from Kristoff that Anna had a crush on Hans it only made Maren worry more. If she was right about Hans, then perhaps Elsa was right about Anna too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I can organise to have a talk with her?” She offered, and Elsa looked physically pained at the idea. It wasn’t clear if it was because they were talking about something personal, or because Elsa was worried about what Anna might have to say, but there was a clear hesitation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes.” She said eventually, and Maren sighed in relief. “But Miss Nattura, don’t keep notes. Our family… They keep their business private.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It was unorthodox for a counsellor to hold a session without taking any notes, but Elsa had to be desperate for her to ask. If she had asked that question a few weeks ago, Maren would have undoubtedly called her out for caring so much about her reputation that she would allow her own sister to go untreated. But now, with the knowledge she had of who Elsa was behind the mask, she found her stomach rolling in distress about what might happen if she didn’t heed Elsa's words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     It wasn’t hard for her to keep an eye on Anna over the next few days, considering she was still keeping up the act of watchful protector. Elsa had finally noticed the way her sister would glare at her, but didn’t comment, instead throwing some sort of look at Anna in return, which usually sent her away with a roll of her eyes. Maren had noticed Elsa would always glance at her shyly afterwards, and it made her chest flutter every time. Each pair had their own version of events that they thought was going on, and the miscommunication between the three of them was suffocating. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren wasn’t sure whether or not she agreed with Elsa’s concerns about Anna’s attitude. Sure, she was obviously paranoid and the dark circles under her eyes were a little worrying, but it didn’t seem as severe as some of the other students. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     As Anna sat silently in the chair opposite her, Maren felt naked without the pen and paper in her hand. It wasn’t compulsory for her to come to the session, and Maren was honestly surprised she had shown up at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So, Anna, how are you?” Maren asked, leaving back against her chair. She wished she hadn’t, because she immediately felt uncomfortable, but was too nervous to reposition again. Instead she just shifted a little, swallowing thickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Great.” She said sarcastically, and Maren fought back a grimace. Anna didn’t like her very much, that was obvious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I wanted to have a chat with you about school. Exams are coming up next week, how are you feeling about them?” Usually she would try to have a casual conversation with her students first, but that would probably just bring up Elsa, and she didn’t want them to get into that argument again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna seemed confused, and Maren was surprised by the expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Um, fine I guess? I don’t really care about my grades that much.” She shrugged, and Maren could see she was telling the truth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You aren’t feeling pressured at all?” She asked, and Anna scoffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “They try to push me more, but I honestly couldn’t care less.” Her red hair was tied into a neat ponytail, her blazer rolled up at the sleeves. Maren wondered how many students knew she was the sister of the headmistress, and how many teachers for that matter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do you want to be when you’re older?” Maren queried. It was a normal question to ask a student of her age, and Maren had to admit she was genuinely curious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I want to work with Elsa.” She didn’t elaborate, and once again Maren yelled internally at the cryptic answers. Both sisters were a nightmare for avoiding the actual question while still giving an answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “As a teacher?” She pushed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     If Maren could throw up a white flag and admit defeat, now would be the time she would do it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I see.” She didn’t. At all. “Tell me about your friends, do you have a boyfriend? Girlfriend?” She needed to get her on to a topic she could worth with, but the lack of effort on Anna’s part was definitely going to make it hard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t… why?” She seemed to have calmed down a little from her automatic defensiveness, but her crossed legs and arms still kept Maren at a distance emotionally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m just trying to get to know you a bit, that’s all.” It wasn’t that far from the truth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “If you think getting to know me is going to help you get in with my sister you’re wrong.” She said bluntly, raising an eyebrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren was trained to be professional, to not react to these kinds of stimuli, but she was struggling not to let the girl get to her. At this point, Anna seemed like the key to a lot of closed doors, and she needed her to open them up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We’re not here to talk about that.” She said, managing to remain calm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Look, Miss Nattura, I’m fine, and I really don’t want to talk to you, so…” She pursed her lips, and Maren decided to throw caution to the wind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Elsa</span>
  <em>
    <span> asked </span>
  </em>
  <span>me to talk to you.” She said, and finally a crack appeared. Elsa and Anna may appear like opposites, but they had the same walls. She had figured out an art to breaking through Elsa's, and somehow the same seemed to work on her sister. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She did?” Anna slumped back a bit, looking at Maren with a mild confusion. “But…” She stopped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She wants you to have someone to talk to. I know i’m probably not the best option because of our previous discussion, but I promised Elsa I would try. She’s worried about you.” Maren spoke honestly, hoping that she could keep up the momentum. Anna remained silent for a few seconds, and Maren waited with baited breath for her response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She must trust you.” Anna said quietly, and she looked uncomfortable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I won't take any notes. Everything you say is off record.” She offered, and Anna’s brows pulled together. Her hands gripped at her pockets, jaw clenched tight. She was nervous, Maren realised. It took a few seconds for Anna to nod, looking down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Okay.</span>
  </em>
  <span> So how are you, really?” Maren tried again, and she could feel the discomfort in the air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Tired.” Anna said curtly after a moment. She refused to look up at her, staring at the table without moving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Tired, okay. Is that because of school, or something else?” Her voice took on a calming tone, gently pushing in the direction she needed to take her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I wasn’t lying, I really don’t care about my grades. But I hate it here. It sucks.” Her voice got quiet as she drew inside of herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I suppose you don’t have much of a choice considering your family owns the place…” Maren felt bad for the number of kids who didn’t want to go to school there, but were being forced to by prideful parents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna scoffed angrily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Elsa’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> family owns the Academy. I’m just the spare kid from the affair our father had.” She said, eyes glossy despite the anger in her voice. It answered the question about which parent they shared at least. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What's your relationship like to your mother and father?” Maren asked her, wishing she was allowed to write that down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “My mother ditched me when I was four. My </span>
  <em>
    <span>father</span>
  </em>
  <span> pretends I don’t exist and lets Elsa raise me. I live with her.” Her protectiveness over Elsa made more sense, considering she was the only person Anna seemed to really have any kind of familial closeness to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you have many close friends here? People you can talk to?” She continued, and Anna pulled a face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Belle is my best friend, and I can talk to her about most things, but I'm not… we don’t talk about everything.” She shifted anxiously during the break between her words, and Maren couldn’t help but wonder what things she kept hidden. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anyone else?” Part of her was hoping she would bring up Hans, but to her surprise, another familiar name came out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Kristoff. He’s… we talk a bit. He helps with the horses at home, and we talk sometimes. Not a lot, but it’s nice.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Huh… wasn’t expecting that one</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Maren thought to herself, raising her eyebrows a bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you see him as more than a friend?” It was an honest question, one that she would have asked even without having previously spoken to Kristoff, but she was curious. Anna blushed, looking up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No… I like Hans.” She said, and although there was definitely an uncertainty to her words that suggested she might have a few feelings for the ashen haired boy, she jumped on the mention of Hans quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans? Tell me about him.” It made Anna smile, which worried Maren deeply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s sweet, and charming. His dad is a dick like mine, and he’s the youngest of loads of brothers so he understands the shit I go through.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s nice to you?” Maren was more than a little surprised, but Kristoff had mentioned that he acted that way to `girls like her`. She wondered what that meant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh yeah, really nice. He carries my bag for me and helps me study.” Warning bells rang louder than ever before. She had been close to ruling out the idea of Anna using study drugs, but the words didn’t fill her with hope.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Helps you study? How so?” It was a challenge not to sound too pushy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s good at maths, I'm not.” It was a simple answer, but Maren didn’t know for sure if she believed it. Anna didn’t look like she was hiding anything, and her opinion of Hans, mixed with Kristoffs note that Anna was out of the loop, suggested she wasn’t in on whatever was happening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Fair enough…” She took a chance, hoping Anna had warmed to her enough to answer the other question she was begging to get answered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna… I’ve noticed your medical file is rather large.” She didn’t say more, didn’t need to. Anna stiffened instantly, grip increasing once again on her blazer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What about it?” She asked quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Are you and your sister okay?” Maren asked simply, making sure to bring in Elsa so she understood that it was more than a random hunch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna flicked her eyes up, and Maren saw the distress in them. The red haired girl didn’t speak, blinking back what Maren assumed might be the beginning of tears. After a slow breath she gave Maren a pointed look, and after a moment more she finally gave her what she needed to hear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “I</span>
  </em>
  <span> am.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     But Elsa’s not. Maren read between the lines, giving Anna a single nod and clenching her jaw angrily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Can I go?” Anna asked quietly, and Maren smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Will you come back? I can help you talk through some of the things we mentioned today?” She asked. Initial meetings with students were more of a getting to know them sort of set up, but the follow up sessions were what really mattered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I… Yeah.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter almost killed me. I changed my mind on things so many times hahaha</p>
<p>McRin - Wow, it's so cool to have an actual school counsellor read this! I apologise for any unrealistic bits, I never even SPOKE to a school counsellor so i'm making this shit up. </p>
<p>Firepos  - Thank you! I'm really looking forward to posting certain chapters!</p>
<p>Cuddleclose - I really do care about what you guys think. It's hard with AU's because you do have to change the characters a lot and some people don't always like it, but hearing how much you all enjoy bits it really uplifting :3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: Reference to physical abuse (see end notes for summary if you need to decide whether or not to read it)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 10</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Having her suspicions confirmed didn’t help the situation at all. On one hand, she was glad she finally had something concrete to go on, but the desire to push her way deeper into the life of Elsa was stronger than ever. She couldn’t sleep, and she was avoiding answering her brothers calls in case he asked about something she didn’t want to tell him yet. It felt weird, to hide things from him, and she was getting to the point that she needed an outlet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa had spoken powerfully during the previous mornings assembly, reminding the children that drugs of any kind were not tolerated, and if any students were caught using them they would risk being disqualified from their exams. Maren had asked Mattias if they were even allowed to do that, but apparently this wave of exams were for in school rankings only, and as such the school withheld the rights to remove a child from testing. It had fuelled a murmur through the hall that told her just how many of them knew about the drugs around the Academy, and Elsa had shot her a meaningful look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Unfortunately, word of the assembly had quickly travelled through the grape-vine. All of the teachers were tense when she finally reached the staff room that Wednesday. It was normal for the room to feel a little uncomfortable for her, but the atmosphere was different that time, with even the sternest of teachers sitting silently and grading papers. Mattias, Rapunzel and Ella were sat in the same place they always were, and she joined them, immediately curious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Why does it feel so weird in here today?” She asked quietly, giving Mattias a funny look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You haven’t heard?” He asked, and she frowned, confused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No?” She dragged out the word, waiting for someone to explain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Rapunzel sighed, leaning forward after a swift glance around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You know how you uncovered the whole study drug thing?” Maren nodded. “Well word got back to the board and they weren’t happy. So </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> told Mr Winters.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren’s eyes widened, a shot of dread flooding through her. Anna hadn’t given her the exact details, but she could make an educated guess about who was the dangerous party in Elsa and Anna’s lives. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s here?” She asked, and her breathing picked up when Rapunzel nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Everyone hates him being here, it’s like we’re under inspection the whole time.” Mattias added, but Maren didn’t really care about that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Ella looked solemn, and Maren stared at her, noticing the way she picked at her food without eating it. She finally met her gaze, and there was a small flash of surprise on her features when she noticed how intensely worried Maren seemed. It made her realise suddenly that Ella must know something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Is he with Elsa?” She asked, directing the question to Ella intentionally. The others looked between them, confused at the intensity of their connection, but she maintained eye contact with the blonde.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I expect so.” She said with a small nod, and Maren stood up. Ella quickly did the same, gathering the intention behind her movement. “Maren, wait!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren stopped next to her, sporting a look that dared her to try an step in. If she knew, and had let it be, she couldn’t be forgiven. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She won’t let you in by choice.” The words were quiet enough that only the four of them would hear. It sounded like advice more than a warning, and it made the fiery glare she was sending Ella soften. She fueled the emotions in adrenaline instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She doesn’t get a choice today.” Maren said, knowing that although she couldn’t force Elsa to deal with it, there was no way she would let anything happen in her presence. She walked out of the room with purpose, making her way towards Elsa’s office with her heart beating erratically out of her chest. She didn’t know what to expect, and it made her nervous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren didn’t get very far before she heard footsteps heading in her direction. She turned the corner into another hallway, and came face to face with a tall, strawberry-blonde man, dressed in what looked to be a highly expensive suit. She didn’t recognise him, but she could see the resemblance to Anna immediately. He looked shocked to run into her, raising an eyebrow as she stood firmly in place before him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Who are you?” He asked after a few seconds, sneering at her, and Maren clenched her jaw. He was leaving, meaning Elsa could already be hurt. She didn’t have time to explain herself to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura. School counsellor.” The words were blunt as she did her best to reign in her anger. “Excuse me.” She bit out, using all the control she owned to move aside and walk past him. She didn’t let herself look back, knowing there was a chance she would turn her body straight into a punch to his jaw. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It took less than two minutes for her to make her way through the halls and to the closed door of Elsa's office. With a deep breath she gripped the handle and opened the door, not giving Elsa the option of shutting her out by knocking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her eyes worked methodically over the room the second she was inside, taking in each feature one by one until her eyes landed on a shocked looking Elsa, leaning against the window tiredly as she watched Maren stand there. Not a single thing was out of place in the room, nothing was broken, and Elsa looked fine. At first glance at least. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maren?” Elsa asked, and her voice cracked slightly. Maren was surprised by the use of her first name, but she took it as a sign Elsa might let her in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Elsa… Your father was here.” She said, stating the obvious. She didn’t know what to say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her face must have shone with worry, because Elsa sighed, slowly making her way around the desk to stand in front of her. Maren tried not to make her analytical gaze too obvious as she checked over every inch of exposed skin. Her shirt was scruffily tucked in, as you would expect after a hard day of work, but it was unusual for Elsa, and there was a scratch under the side of her chin that definitely hadn’t been there earlier in the day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes. He wasn't pleased about the drugs.” Elsa said. Her hands were cupping her elbows in a protective position, and she kept her eyes trained on Maren's shoulder instead of her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh.” Words escaped her. She had dealt with abuse lots of times during her years in the field, but it felt different this time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She swallowed nervously, and raised her hand slowly. She hovered it above Elsa's, lowering it slowly until her fingers sat lightly on her skin. Elsa’s grip on her elbow increased, and Maren could feel the slight shaking of her hand. Carefully, she stroked her thumb over the cool skin, giving her a moment to get used to the feeling before curling her hand around Elsa's and drawing it away from her elbow. Elsa seemed to stop breathing, looking up at Maren finally. Their eyes met, and Maren kept her face free of a frown, leaving it soft and calm. When her arm had been successfully pulled forward Maren flicked her gaze down, finally finding the distinct prints of her father fingers on her wrist. It looked like he had grabbed her by the wrist and chin, pulling her with enough force to mark but not enough to cause damage for longer than half an hour or so. It wasn’t much, but if he was willing to use any force while she was at work, who knew what he would be willing to do behind closed doors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren raised her other hand, letting her fingers run over the prints with a feather light touch, and Elsa flinched.  After a moment she lowered their hands, keeping them loosely wrapped together. She expected Elsa to pull hers away, but the woman stayed stock still, allowing the contact. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do you need?” Maren bit back the need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> something, focusing on what Elsa needed instead. The blonde woman gave her a funny look, like she wasn’t expecting that response. Maren had taken Ella’s words as a warning, knowing that there was the potential Elsa would shut her out if she thought Maren was going to act on what was happening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Could you... get me a coffee?” She asked, and her voice was so unsure and delicate, the opposite of what she was usually like. It broke Maren’s heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course. I’ll be right back.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her eyes flicked down for a second to Elsa's lips, and she longed to squeeze her hand, kiss her, and tell her it would be okay. Instead, she looked back up into the beautiful blue, flashing an insincere smile, and dropping her hand with little more than a lingering touch. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     She walked back into the staff room with a stormy look on her face. She stood by the coffee machine quietly, pressing the buttons and letting it groan and spur into life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maren,” Ella started after joining her, voice filled with concern, “what happened?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do you think?” Her anger came out, finally spilling out of the cage she had trapped it inside of. She whipped around, and Ella recoiled. Mattias and Rapunzel stood up and headed over quickly, making her realise how loud her voice must have been. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Shit.” She said, running a hand through her hair. “Sorry, Ella.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The woman shook her head, understanding the outburst. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Don’t apologise. Thank you for looking out for her.” She said in reply, and Maren smiled at how quickly she had forgiven her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What’s going on?” Mattias said when they joined the two women.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Nothing, Mr Winters was just pissed about the Adderall problem. Obviously It's </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> fault, so now I'm playing servant to El-Miss Winters.” She lied, and all of them raised an eyebrow in uncertainty. It might not have been her smoothest lie, but it did the trick.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Makes sense…?” Mattias said, clearly unsure, but ready to go with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Did you meet Mr Winters?” Rapunzel asked, leaning casually against the counter. Ella fidgeted, clearly not very comfortable with lying to their friends. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes. I had the pleasure.” She said through gritted teeth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Dealing with two angry Winters in one, damn, you’re bad-ass.” Mattias said with a laugh. It made Maren smile, but it lacked the lighthearted laugh it should have been accompanied by. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ve got to get back to her. I’ll see you tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     This time she knocked, calling out softly to let Elsa know it was her. Now she knew Elsa was physically fine, she wouldn’t force herself on the blonde if she really didn’t want her around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Come in.” Elsa called out, voice calm, but not as gentle as before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren slipped into the room quickly, shutting the door behind her with a quiet click. Turning, she cast her eye over to Elsa, heart fluttering at the sight. Just like in the library, Elsa was laid partially on her side, legs curled up, on the small sofa at the side of the office. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Walking over to her slowly, Maren held out the mug of coffee, and Elsa sat up properly to take it. Maren stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do or say. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the scratch by Elsa’s chin, or the slightly disheveled look of her shirt. For a second she thought that Elsa in ruffled clothing looked pretty good, but she mentally slapped herself, tearing her eyes away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You can sit down.” Elsa tilted her head to gesture to the space on the sofa next to her, and Maren took the offer, settling herself down onto the surprisingly comfortable chair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How are you feeling?” Maren asked nervously, watching Elsa stare into the brown liquid with a small frown. Gone was the soft, hurt Elsa from only a few minutes prior, the walls she had so expertly built around her emotions slowly repairing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How did you know?” Elsa avoided the question, a defensive sharpness to her tone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “About just now? Or about everything?” Maren asked, unsure of the question. At this point it seemed more than obvious that Maren knew about what kind of person Mr Winters was, but without a confession from Elsa she was still playing a guessing game.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Everything.” Elsa confirmed, breathing in the steam from the coffee and taking a delicate sip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You reacted when I grabbed you, and there were lots of little hints that made me worry, especially from Ella. Plus Anna’s medical record...” Elsa looked at her then, breathing out heavily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ella? </span>
  </em>
  <span>What did she…?” She looked angry at first, but the draw up of her brow suggested it was a worried frustration instead. Maren turned to face Elsa more fully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She’s quite protective over you. How much does she know?” Maren asked. Elsa tapped at her mug, thinking. It took a few seconds for her to give in and answer the question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She saw. Once.” Elsa said, thumb now stroking the mug instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What did she see?” Elsa was still yet to confirm anything out loud, and Maren needed her to say it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She-” She stopped, jaw clenching visibly. It wasn’t clear if it was just because she was nervous to say it out loud, or because she had been trained not to speak about it, but Maren gave her time. If it was the first time she had talked about it then it was important to let her get there at her own pace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Take your time.” She said after a moment, and Elsa frowned deeply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m not one of your clients Miss Nattura.” She spit out, throwing her a glare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I know.” Maren said, raising a hand in defence. Elsa’s glare slowly faded away, and Maren fought back the sigh at her deflection. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna’s not… I keep her safe.” The blue eyes softened a fraction as she spoke about her sister.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Is she really just clumsy?” Maren asked with a small chuckle, trying to lighten the mood enough to make Elsa open up more. The woman huffed, which was as close to a laugh as you would expect to get in that situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She’s gotten in the way once or twice, but mostly she just gets angry and hits things. A bit like you.” Elsa smiled at her coffee, and Maren’s eyebrows shot up. It certainly explained how quick Elsa had been to notice her damaged hand, if she was used to seeing Anna having the same injuries. “She </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> incredibly clumsy though. Most of the things in her record are just Anna being Anna.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wow, I'm actually impressed.” Maren laughed at the idea that someone could be </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> clumsy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What did she tell you in her session? About… this.” Elsa asked after a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I asked her if you were both okay. She hinted.” She was careful with her wording. Even off the books, she couldn’t discuss Anna’s session with her; she was already toeing the line. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa gave her a quick look, but didn’t let her gaze linger. Her cheeks grew red, which concerned Maren immensely. She didn’t want Elsa to feel embarrassed about admitting her father was abusive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How long has it been going on for?” Maren asked, more than a little concerned that the question would scare Elsa away. Elsa took a slow sip of her coffee, contemplating something. Her mouth opened a little, but closed with a sigh. Apologies swam in her eyes when she looked up at Maren, and she stayed silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you… for the coffee. Among other things.” Elsa said quietly, ending the conversation politely. Maren felt frustrated, wanting more than anything to probe deeper, but knowing that pushing her wouldn’t work. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anytime.” She replied, smiling half heartedly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maybe…” Elsa started, once again glaring at her coffee. “If I ever wanted to talk, off the record… would that…?” Maren held her breath as Elsa pushed the words out, clearly struggling with them. She stopped before she finished the sentence, but the meaning was clear. It took her entire willpower not to yell in enthusiasm, instead letting her lips break into a wide smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It was at that moment that Maren saw Elsa's eyes flick down and linger on her smile for a moment too long. She blinked slowly, gripping tighter onto her mug, and Maren’s face fell. It didn’t take long for the headmistress to look away, but there was a quick dart of her tongue against her lips. Maren's feelings for Elsa were growing the deeper she fell into her life, but she was able to keep them in control. It concerned her that Elsa, in her moments of weakness, seemed to be affected as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     A series of hurried footsteps pulled them out of the thick, tense silence. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Elsa?!” Anna threw open the door, stopping short at the scene in front of her. Maren saw the girl do the same thing she had, sliding her eyes quickly around the room, then over Elsa, checking for damage. When her gaze returned to Maren she raised her eyebrows, closing the door behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura. What are you doing here?” She asked carefully, not giving away anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She brought me coffee after father left.” Elsa said, bravely admitting that she had leaned on Maren for a moment. Anna looked at Elsa, and the two exchanged a silent communication. It was nice to see such a close bond between the two, reminding Maren of how her and her brother were. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That was nice.” Anna looked suspicious, and Maren got the impression that she still didn’t like her very much. Their session had eventually gone well, but there was a difference between being able to talk to your counsellor, and actually trusting or liking them as a person. Maren couldn’t blame her. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> pretending she didn’t have any feelings for Elsa, and omitting a lot of things from her. But when it came to honestly wanting to help the both of them with their father, she was more sincere then she had ever been.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Would you like me to leave now?” Maren asked Elsa, who turned to her with a beautifully soft smile. She nodded once, and Maren stood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you… Maren.” Elsa said slowly, and the small blush on her pale cheeks was undeniable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Oh god…</span>
  </em>
  <span> Maren slipped out quickly, trusting Anna to keep an eye on her sister. A cold shiver ran through her, and she pushed herself into her own office as fast as she could. Her chest hurt, the reality of everything she was dealing with suddenly too much. The constriction of her throat and slight blurring of her vision signalled her panic, so she moved swiftly to her chair, sitting down and resting her head in her hands. A few deep breaths kept her from slipping into a spiral of anxiety and panic, but the throbbing in her head and tightness in her chest remained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She slipped her phone out of her pocket, staring at yet another missed call from her brother. She looked at the screen, rubbing her face and biting her lip. She wanted to talk to him, but she was worried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Clicking the return call button she closed her eyes, raising the device to her ear slowly as she waited for him to answer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maren! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Finally!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He said after a few rings. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey, Ryder.” She replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What’s with the silent treatment?” He asked, and Maren could hear the annoyance in his voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry. A lot happened. I… I want to talk to you, but... I need you to just be my brother about it? Okay?” She was begging him to just be there for her; to just listen and not react. There was a short silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course, I can do that. What's wrong?” Maren smiled sadly, thankful for him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I can’t talk right now. Half term starts mid next week, as soon as exams are over. Can we meet up then?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sure. Anything you need.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>SUMMARY: Mr Winter's found out about the drug issue in school and wasn't happy. Maren is worried he may be responsible for harming Elsa, which Ella pretty much confirms, and she goes to check on her. Elsa is fine, but it is clear Agnarr has been a little physical with her. Maren get her coffee and Elsa avoids talking about it.</p>
<p>DrafteeDragon - Seeing you comment on each chapter as you caught up was funny, I kept seeing my email pop up while I was writing and I loved it, thank you for engaging! </p>
<p>Mags - Wow, this is really high praise! Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it that much :3</p>
<p>Rowaelinforever - I love every comment, and the excited emoji's make me laugh :P</p>
<p>ameliafuckingshepherd - A lot of people are unsure about the ship because her character has no screen time, but personally I love that because It gives me more room to work. I'm glad you like the pairing now!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 11</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So, in one week, you discovered that someone is dealing drugs in the school, you got accosted by Anna for trying to bone her, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> pretty much caught Mr Winters hurting Elsa?” Ryder’s brows were knitted together in disbelief, leaning casually against the arcade machine.  Maren moved the joystick around, frowning into the screen as she moved the little character. They had a routine of going to the arcades whenever they needed to spend some time away from the foster home, or whatever family they were placed with at that moment. It was a place of comfort, and perfect for what Maren needed. Even just being in the large, dark room with her brother made her feel more relaxed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pretty much yeah.” She left out the part about having feelings for Elsa, deciding that it wasn’t the best move to tell him about </span>
  <em>
    <span>that.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Things had changed between Maren and Elsa after that day in her office. Elsa had slipped back into her usual mean headmistress role in front of everyone else, but there was an uncertainty to the glances they shared across the hall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow. I can see why you needed a bit of time.” He ruffled his hair and looked around at an attractive woman who passed by them. Maren kept her focus on the game, but noticed the movement nonetheless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop perving.” She said with a smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> perving!” He said, and shoved her shoulder. The movement threw off her game, making the `game over` text flash up. Dropping her mouth open wide, she stared at the suddenly apologetic face of her brother. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell?” She said in mock annoyance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not my fault!” He said, pointing behind him at a rather attractive brunette across the room. “It was her fault for being so cute.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to him. He looked comically worried, and she bumped into his shoulder a little too forcefully as she came to stand next to him, leaning against the side of the machine as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> cute. I suppose I can forgive you.” She threw him a sideways glance, seeing him smirk in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s got a gay vibe though. Maybe </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> should jump on her instead. Get your mind off of your boss.” He gave the young woman a once over, and Maren did the same. She was pretty, and definitely sexy, wearing a pair of jeans so tight it was a surprise she had managed to get them on. Maren crossed her arms, drawing her lip into her mouth in thought. She wasn’t exactly a prude, with a decently long list of sexual experiences, with both long term partners and one night stands, but something felt wrong. The woman’s friend noticed them both staring, nudging the brunette. She looked up with what appeared to be deep brown eyes, and looked between them. When she smiled, it was pointed at Maren, confirming Ryder's suspicions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like you got the okay.” He laughed a little, and Maren smiled back at the woman. Her body was certainly attracted to the idea of taking her home, but she couldn’t help but think about Elsa, and groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not really in the mood right now.” She turned around, moving to another machine and slipping in a coin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This shit’s really getting to you, huh? Are you sure you don’t want to back out while you’re ahead?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not an option Ryder, you know that.” She said with a sigh, dying quickly in the game due to her lack of focus. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They played for a while, eventually leaving to grab some dinner. Ryder filled her in on his work, which seemed to be finally going well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do have one question though.” Ryder said, as they walked down the street after their food. The sky was still light, but it wouldn’t be long until it set. Maren hummed in reply, feeling much more relaxed after talking to her brother and just having a good time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you going to do about the Winters’? I know you aren’t the kind of person to just let it go, but it’s not really a quick fix…” He asked, the brotherly concern back in his tone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honestly? I have no idea. I want to help but… am I wrong for getting involved?” Ryder didn’t know just how much of a loaded question that was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you’re not wrong. I’m sorry that you’re the one who has to go through this instead of me, but we knew there was a chance something like this might happen. You were bound to get at least a little involved in some kind of drama while you worked there, and you wouldn’t be you if you just walked away from that. As long as you’re aware of what the outcome might be, then it's fine.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It felt weirdly like a blessing, and Maren’s heart clenched painfully in her chest. She wished he would say the same thing about her feelings for Elsa, but she was aware that if he knew it would be a different story. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why</span>
  </em>
  <span> is it such a big </span>
  <em>
    <span>deal</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” A familiar female voice drifted through the air from ahead of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren raised her brows questioningly as she looked up, scanning the road for the owner of the voice. When the red haired girl finally showed up in front of them Maren stopped, Ryder doing the same despite not knowing what was going on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anna!” Maren said awkwardly, not having run into a student outside of school yet. It was weird, and she wasn’t sure how to act. The leather jacket she wore was normal, but the torn jeans and loose hair was probably not the style of dress the Academy would promote in front of the students. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss Nattura!” Anna said in shock, looking her up and down. Maren looked behind her, mouth going dry as the blonde hair of Elsa appeared behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss Winters.” She thought it best to stick to formalities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! Miss Nattura, hello.” Elsa said, clearly just as uncomfortable as Maren was in the situation. They stared at each other for a few seconds, the sudden silence deafening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss Winters… well that explains a lot.” Ryder said quietly next to her, but the snap of both of the Winters’ eyes to him told Maren that they had heard. He was eyeing Elsa up with a smirk, and Maren felt her body heat up immediately. Elsa was incredibly pretty with her hair down, and Ryder had certainly noticed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ryder!” She whispered angrily, eyes wide in embarrassed annoyance. She looked back into the confused eyes of Elsa, and then down at the cocky, unimpressed glare of Anna. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh…” Her brain was struggling to process anything at that point. “R-Ryder! This is my boss Elsa, and her sister Anna. This idiot is my brother Ryder.” Maren breathed out in relief when she finally got some words out, relaxing when her sibling put a hand out to shake Elsa’s. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve heard a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> about you.” Ryder said, grin still firmly in place. She wanted to scream at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh? Um… It’s nice to meet you.” Elsa looked suitably awkward, lacking the usual cold persona.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryder moved to Anna’s hand as well, and she gave his palm a short, sharp shake. Ryder’s eyebrows quirked at the girls disgruntled attitude, giving Maren a `</span>
  <em>
    <span>I see what you mean` </span>
  </em>
  <span>look. Anna crossed her arms, her pose reminiscent of how she had looked while accusing Maren of trying to sleep with Elsa. Ryder's words didn’t exactly disprove Anna’s theories, and she promised to give him a talking to later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you guys doing in town?” She asked quickly, breaking the silence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anna’s meeting up with some friends in a bit, but she wanted to go shopping first.” Elsa looked tired, and Maren wondered if she had been dragged out by her sister despite not wanting to go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She won’t let me buy a new jacket.” Anna said with a roll of her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What kind of jacket?” Ryder asked. He had never been awkward with new people, and Maren had never been more thankful that he was able to lead the conversation. At his words, Anna looked a little sheepish, and didn’t reply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She wants to get a leather one.” Elsa’s lip pulled up amusedly, and she gave Maren’s attire a once over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! Well they do look pretty cool, if I do say so myself.” Maren said, suddenly feeling a lot more confident. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Be that as it may, Miss Nattura, she spent over an hour looking for one without making a decision and all the shops are shutting now.” The annoyance was thick in her tone, and Anna rolled her eyes again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re just annoyed that I want one of those instead of a fancy coat.” Anna said, and Maren and Ryder both laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> the jackets, I just wish you’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>pick</span>
  </em>
  <span> one, so I can go </span>
  <em>
    <span>home</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Elsa replied, making Ryder laugh again. Maren stood there with a dorky smile on her face, entertained by the interaction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay okay, wait.” Maren said. “Have you been to Barnet’s?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Barnet's?” Anna asked. It was clear the name wasn’t familiar to them, understandably so if neither of them had ever owned a leather jacket or a motorbike before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a place that sells biker gear, but they have the coolest leather jackets. Not cheap though, how much are you looking to spend?” It seemed like a stupid question all things considered, but she didn’t want to suggest it and assume they would splash out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elsa looked embarrassed at the question, shifting awkwardly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Money isn’t a problem.” She gave a weak smile to Maren, who nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool. It’s just past the bank at the end of the road, down the side street. The jackets are at the back past all the normal bike gear.” She explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could pick one out for her. You’re good with leather.” Ryder said with another smirk, and Maren clenched her jaw against the annoyed insult she wanted to shout back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>really…</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Anna replied, raising an eyebrow at the obvious suggestion. A concerned glance at Elsa told Maren she had also understood the comment, her brows raised a little and a soft grin just visible on her face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That's cute… </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> as that sounds it would be weird for me to go shopping with a student.” She glared at him, shoving her hands into her pockets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wouldn’t be if </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> invited you.” Elsa said, and the three of them looked at her, shocked. Pale cheeks darkened under the sudden inspection, and she looked flustered. “I’d rather not have to spend any more time looking at clothes than I need to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren didn’t think she could speak. If she could, words would have escaped her anyway. It took a hard elbow from Ryder to remind her that she had to actually respond. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-I-uh… sure.” Her voice was high, and she was sure she looked like a scared puppy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ryder groaned almost inaudibly, turning a bit to face her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I have places to be, so I’ll leave you in the… </span>
  <em>
    <span>lovely</span>
  </em>
  <span> hands of Miss Winters.” He gave her a chirpy smile, and she only responded with an even more lost expression. “It was lovely to meet you both, I hope you find a good jacket Anna.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He walked away after the two women said goodbye, not waiting for one from Maren. The panic inside of her at having to spend time outside of work with Elsa </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Anna was intense, and her hands began to sweat in her pockets. Even with a blessing from her brother to get more involved in helping the girls, she was more than aware that she was toeing a fine line between `getting involved` and `getting attached`. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go then!” Anna said with a smile, a spring in her step as she led the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay with this?” Elsa asked quietly, so that Anna couldn’t hear, though the girl had already pulled out her phone as she walked a few steps ahead. “I hope you didn’t just say yes because i’m your boss?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! I mean, yes! Wait… I wanted to.” She smiled lopsidedly, her awkwardness making her embarrassed. Maren was good at understanding women, and never had a problem finding someone to take home or have a short fling with. Even when she was pursuing an actual romantic relationship she was usually much more capable of acting like a functional human. But knowing that Elsa was out of bounds both romantically, and sexually, made her brain melt for some reason. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elsa didn’t help the situation, giving her a soft smile that made Maren already racing heart skip a beat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad. Anna is pretty useless at making decisions.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m happy to help.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maren!” The shop owner smiled toothily at her, and she gave a happy wave back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Kyle, how are you doing?” She said, walking over to him. His beard had grown longer than usual, creating a bushy bundle of ginger under his chin, and his broad figure was just as inviting as always.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, not bad. What are you after this time? Finally decide to get those bike gloves you keep eyeing up?” He said with a chuckle, eyes straying behind her when he suddenly noticed the two other women were watching them expectantly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I’m actually here to buy </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> one her first leather jacket!” She pointed to Anna, leaning back on the counter as Anna waved excitedly at Kyle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oooh, exciting!” He said, his grin increasing in size as he looked over Elsa. “You trying to win over the girlfriends family?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren’s elbow almost slipped off of the counter when she whipped around to pin him with a panicked stare. He raised his eyebrows in surprise at her sudden movement, and she heard Anna snicker from behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“NO!” She spoke too loud. “She’s not… I mean, Elsa is my boss, Kyle.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shame.” He said with a chuckle, throwing her a wink and patting her on the shoulder harshly. Maren was starting to think she would never catch a break. She looked back to Elsa, who had her bottom lip pulled between her teeth delicately. How she was able to look so sophisticated and serious, yet somehow remain entirely adorable was a question Maren had no answer for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry about that…” She said to Elsa, as Kyle led Anna to the back of the shop. The two women followed behind, and Maren shoved her hands back into her jacket once again to hide her nervousness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it, it doesn’t bother me.” Elsa watched her, expression giving nothing away. Her eyes were glued to Maren's, a curiosity there that made her uncomfortable. It felt like she was trying to read her thoughts, and Maren wondered if that was how people felt when she psychoanalysed them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Elsa!” Anna called her sister, who tore her attention away from Maren, seemingly reluctantly. Maren watched Elsa pull a face, and looked over to Anna curiously. She was wearing an electric blue jacket that was covered almost comically with metal studs, and Maren laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Elsa said sternly, crossing her arms. Kyle laughed as well, and jabbed a finger in her direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maren tried that on the first day it came in stock too.” He pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span> tell me you didn’t actually want to buy that.” Elsa said, face scrunched up in disgust. It made both Maren and Anna laugh again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do have </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> taste you know. I just wanted to see how silly it looked.” She said, moving over to the rack and pulling out a dark brown one with a square pattern on the waist and handing it to Anna, followed by a particularly nice looking grey one that she handed to Elsa. Anna threw on hers immediately, twirling with a grin, but Elsa simply stared at hers with wide eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try it on, it might suit you.” Maren said, and although Elsa didn’t look convinced, she slowly took off her coat and slid the jacket over her shirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maren realised her mistake the moment Elsa pulled the jacket into place. When she raised a hand to sweep her hair out from under the collar and around to one side of her shoulders, Maren couldn’t help herself from reacting. Heat swam under the surface of her skin, making it tingle, and her brain took itself on a journey to the gutter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look pretty good in that!” Anna piped up, nodding approvingly. The red head caught her staring, and raised an eyebrow. “What do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> think Miss Nattura?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elsa turned to look at her, the cold blue of her eyes lifted even more by the pale slate grey of the leather. Maren swallowed, blinking and feeling a shiver pass over her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. It suits you.” She managed, and she had to admit she was proud of herself for not stuttering or simply mumbling out `</span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re hot`.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe I'll invest in one some day.” Elsa smiled a fraction, in an amused way that suggested she was more than aware of Maren’s reaction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They left a while later, Anna having tried on a few jackets, and eventually leaving with the one Maren had initially picked out for her. After a few selfies, Elsa had reminded her that Belle would be waiting for her, and she left them to meet her friend. Unfortunately that left Elsa and Maren alone, standing awkwardly on the street.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So… what’s your plan now?” Maren asked. She had apparently come into town with Anna in a taxi, not wanting to fight for a parking space at peak time. The protective side of her didn’t like the idea of leaving Elsa alone to wait for a taxi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I had </span>
  <em>
    <span>hoped</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be home a while ago. So my plans are already kind of ruined.” Elsa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as the breeze moved it. “You?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no idea. Originally Ryder and I were going to go to a bar somewhere but that changed. I’ll probably just go home and have a beer, watch some tv… nothing exciting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a short silence, and then Elsa spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have a drink with me.” The words were curt, and she had a small frown on her face when she spoke them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Maren thought. She knew that was a bad idea. It was too much. Too close. Too tempting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure.” She said finally, and she heard her brain groan at her in annoyance. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Dynamic change! Elsa can't really shut her out anymore.</p>
<p>Safnari - Nice to see you commenting again! I'm glad you gave the AU a chance :)</p>
<p>Mags - hmmmmm ;) </p>
<p>Millacnin - Shhhh don't mention my lack of apostrophes it's literally my worst habit hahaha I wish I could say i'll try harder but honestly I don't pay attention and then have to try and add them in when I upload XD But anyway there's only small time skips, I'm not a fan of big jumps in writing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 12</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     She took Elsa to the same bar she normally went with Ryder. It was clean, and they served good alcohol, so she didn’t feel bad taking Elsa there. The dimmed lighting was atmospheric, casting a yellow hue over the room, and the large mirrored wall behind the rows of spirits gave the place a modern feel. They sat at the bar, the place not yet filled with patrons.</p>
<p>     “One Kronenburg top for me,” she said to the bartender, and he then looked expectantly at Elsa.</p>
<p>     “Do you serve a Curacao Martini?” He nodded at her. “Perfect.” </p>
<p>     Maren knew she couldn’t drink much while still being suitable to drive home, but she wished she could down a few shots to calm the intense nerves rolling through her. On the other hand, she wondered if she should change her order to water to prevent any drunken flirting that might happen if she relaxed too much. She couldn’t deny how much like a date it felt, and her logical brain was screaming at her to run. </p>
<p>     “So…” She began, hyper aware of the small amount of space between their bar stools. Perhaps a table would have been better… “How are things going with the Academy?” </p>
<p>     Elsa huffed, watching the bartender mix her drink. </p>
<p>     “About as well as they can be all things considered.” She said frustratedly. Maren smirked at the tone.</p>
<p>     “<em>That </em> sounded believable.” Her words dripped with sarcasm, and Elsa pursed her lips. The bartender returned with both their drinks, and Elsa took a sip immediately. She seemed to sink into it, shoulders relaxing with a soft sigh. Maren took much larger gulp from her own glass. </p>
<p>     “Everyone thinks I’m in charge now that my father has his new business, but it’s not quite that simple.” Elsa stopped there, but it was clear she wanted to say more. Maren stayed silent, cocking her head to the side expectantly. The blonde reached up and pushed her hair back, turning her head to the side to look at her drinking partner. </p>
<p>     “He won’t give it to me contractually until he thinks I've done a good enough job. But he gets all his information from the board, who don’t respect me in the slightest. Every time he <em> pops by </em> the school or our house he finds something to complain about.” She frowned, but it seemed more sad than angry. </p>
<p>     “So you’re keeping it the way he wants it… so you can take over completely?” Maren blinked at the women, shocked. Elsa seemed so cold to everyone at work, which she had assumed was because she didn’t like anyone, but maybe she was wrong.</p>
<p>     “That was the plan. But it’s been a year and a half and he won’t give it up. After Oliver… it’s easier for him to use me as a scapegoat I think.” </p>
<p>     Maren tensed at the mention of Oliver, but for the first time she wasn’t angry at Elsa for it. She was right, the media had been hard on the new headmistress. Maren had found it surprising how little it had been discussed in the papers, but the few things she had seen all mentioned the stern Miss Winters as not taking the necessary actions. Little to no information had been available on the school, or the Winters’, so all her initial misconceptions on Elsa had been formed on what she had read in those select papers. A swell of rage hit her at the idea of the board, and Mr Winters, throwing Elsa under the bus to avoid having the school looked into too deeply. She wondered how much money they might have sunk into keeping the details out of the paper. By simply saying the headmistress was inattentive, and taking over the hiring of a counsellor, they guaranteed themselves peace. Her jaw clenched hard, and she took a deep, slow breath. </p>
<p>     “I’m sorry they did that. The board suck.” She forced out calmly, though her words were laced with bitterness. Elsa smiled at her, and she looked all too innocent.</p>
<p>     “It’s always been that way. But hopefully I can turn things around if I get the chance.” She didn’t look optimistic.</p>
<p>     “What about the parents and the board? You told me they might pull the kids out if they don’t like how it's being run?” She turned to look more fully at Elsa, wondering how she would pull off making any big changes.</p>
<p>     “Umm,” Elsa bit her lip quickly, a bashful expression appearing. “The parents don’t actually tend to care <em> what </em> happens; a lot of them barely pay any attention to their kids, and those that <em> do </em> only look at the grades. I uh… said that so you wouldn’t do something my father wouldn’t approve of yet.” </p>
<p>     Maren’s mouth dropped open, brows raised. She was impressed with how smoothly Elsa had managed to wrap her around her little finger without her knowing. She really <em> was </em> a smart business woman. </p>
<p>     “Sneaky…” Maren said with a smile. Her nerves were beginning to fade at how casually their conversation seemed to be flowing. </p>
<p>     “I want to let you do what you need to do, but I have to think of the long term. Unfortunately that means keeping up the evil headmistress persona.” Elsa said with a roll of her eyes.</p>
<p>     The long term. Maren hadn’t thought about that. She was the sort of person who jumped into situations, got things done fast, didn’t wait. In this case, she wanted to fix the school there and then, rewrite the system and strip away the power from the elitist board. Elsa's plan… it was different, but maybe more effective. Maren would cause a stir, but could hurt just as many people as she helped. Elsa’s ideas made them wait, but in the long term it made a safe space for future generations.</p>
<p>     “It’s nice to know you care. Even if you do act like a bitch sometimes.” The jab came off as lighthearted, and Elsa smirked.</p>
<p>     “Oh, I’m sure you can take it.” She threw back, and Maren’s stomach flipped in excitement at the challenge. She told it not to, and quickly took another drink. “Besides, I have to be mean to people at work, it’s expected. A few of them were <em> my </em> teachers so I need to get respect somehow.”</p>
<p>     “Really?” Maren knew some of the teachers had been there a while but she hadn’t imagined they might have taught Elsa. The woman hummed in confirmation. </p>
<p>     “I’ve only been able to hire four teachers myself. <em> Two </em> of them are in your motley crew.” Elsa winked at Maren, who raised her eyebrows in surprise. </p>
<p>     “Really? Who? ...Ella?” Elsa nodded. “Mattias?” She guessed. The headmistress nodded again. </p>
<p>     “Father wasn’t too pleased about Ella, mind you.” Elsa chuckled, making Maren frown. She could only imagine how that had gone down.</p>
<p>     “Where does your father live?” She asked. </p>
<p>     “He has an estate further north, but he comes down for business every other weekend.” </p>
<p>     Every other weekend... From the way Elsa was talking it was clear that Agnarr was angry more often than not, which meant a potential altercation every fortnight. Perhaps more than once in the time he was around. It didn’t settle well in Maren’s stomach, and she had to pull her eyes away from Elsa and pin them on the pint glass. Her silence spoke a thousand words, and Elsa sighed. </p>
<p>     “Listen, I don’t want you trying to get involved in the situation between my father and I.” She said bluntly, and Maren bristled.</p>
<p>     “Why not?” She asked, annoyed. </p>
<p>     “When I have the Academy I can support Anna completely, but right now my father still has complete control over all the family assets. If he disowns me for calling him out then we both go down.” Elsa explained. Maren didn’t like it, but once again Elsa was thinking long term where Maren was thinking of the immediate. </p>
<p>     “If I agree to stay out of it… will you actually talk to me about it?” It was Maren’s only option. If she didn’t agree, Elsa would find a way of pushing her out, like she seemed to have done to Ella. At least this way she could try and help on another level instead. </p>
<p>     Elsa tapped her thumb against her martini glass, before taking an extended sip. She was deep in thought, and Maren watched her curiously.</p>
<p>     “What do you want to know?” The blonde asked eventually, not looking at her. </p>
<p>     “How long has it been going on for?” She was half expecting Elsa to avoid answering, as she always did. However, she was pleasantly surprised when Elsa took another drink before answering honestly.</p>
<p>     “My mother died when I was sixteen, and he didn’t handle it well. I tried to take over her role in the house but I couldn’t keep up with it while still at school. I think my mistakes reminded him she was gone.” She looked sad, thumb stroking the stem of the glass slowly.</p>
<p>     Maren felt relieved to know that Elsa hadn’t been dealing with this her whole childhood, but the weight of caring for Anna alone, while dealing with the loss of her mother and the suddenly abusive father must have been horrendous. </p>
<p>     “That sounds hard. You said Anna has gotten in the way before…?” It had lingered on her mind since their previous conversation in Elsa’s office. Both girls seemed convinced that Anna wasn’t in harm's way, but Maren wasn’t as sure.</p>
<p>     “She used to just stay out of the way, but over the past couple of years she’s…” Elsa chuckled. “She’s gotten very protective. He’s never hurt her, but she’s jumped in and been pushed away once or twice.” </p>
<p>     Maren couldn’t help but laugh lightly at Anna being overprotective considering her first hand experience on the matter. It was the bittersweet kind of laugh, the kind that only came out after something bad had happened and you try to make the best of it.</p>
<p>     “She <em> is </em> rather protective…” Maren threw a look to Elsa, who drew her brows together for a second, biting her lip in embarrassment.</p>
<p>     “Yes… I’m sorry about how she’s been with you. Actually… she… told me about your conversation…” Both women’s cheeks darkened slightly, and Maren felt her heart beat speed up.</p>
<p>     “S-she did? What exactly did she say?” Was it proper to throttle a child? Definitely not. Did she want to at that moment? Yes.</p>
<p>     “That she accused you of trying to uh- in <em> her </em> words, screw me.” Elsa pulled a face at the vulgar terminology. </p>
<p>     “Oh!” Maren practically squeaked out the reply. “Yeah uh, that’s about accurate.” </p>
<p>     Elsa was watching her with a fascination, and it made Maren feel hot. Restraining her emotions wasn’t something she had ever been good at, and after being told on several occasions that her attractions were more than obvious, she had realised just <em> how </em> bad she was at hiding them. </p>
<p>     “Well I apologise. Most people who show an interest in me are usually just trying to add the Winters daughter to their belt, <em> or </em> get close to my father. Anna’s convinced that anyone who so much as smiles in my direction <em> must </em> be after something.” Elsa finished her martini, signalling to the bartender for another. He looked to Maren and she shook her head, still having half a pint left. She wished she didn’t have to drive so she could drink away the embarrassment. </p>
<p>     “Well if that's your dating history then I can see why she jumped to conclusions.” Maren said awkwardly. </p>
<p>     “She’s quick to step into <em> my </em> relationships but If I dare to question hers she jumps down my throat.” Elsa rolled her eyes. There was a flush to her cheeks that refused to fade, and Maren wondered how much of a lightweight Elsa was. The stereotype of the stern businesswoman drinking a lot lingered on her mind, but Elsa was breaking away enough other stereotypes that she wasn’t sure if she should assume the woman could handle her alcohol. She was drinking a notoriously strong drink rather quickly...</p>
<p>     “She’s a teenager, they do that.” She said with a chuckle, grateful she had a different conversation to grab onto. </p>
<p>     “Maybe so, but her obsession with Hans is concerning.” Maren was sure Elsa pouted after she spoke, but someone brushed a little too close to her stool, diverting her attention for a second. She hummed in agreement.</p>
<p>     “At least she didn’t seem to be involved with the study drug issue. A bad taste in men is hardly the worst thing to be dealing with.” Maren suggested, and Elsa sighed.</p>
<p>     “Yeah, I was worried for a bit. After your meeting she actually spoke to me.” Elsa said, looking at Maren gratefully. </p>
<p>     “Oh?” She prompted. </p>
<p>     “She’s angry at a lot of things, but she assured me she was okay. I think I believe her, but I’m glad she’s talking to you.” She smiled at Maren, face a little too bright. It seemed pretty clear that Elsa was affected by the alcohol, and as she watched Elsa take another sip, she had an idea. She was speaking openly, free of the majority of her walls, and if she was right and Elsa<em> was </em> attracted to her a bit, then she would be even more open to any questions she asked. For a second she debated keeping her mouth shut, feeling sick at the idea that she was considering using her tipsy state for her benefit, but she couldn’t pass up the opportunity. </p>
<p>     “I... wanted to ask you something actually?” She said, and her chest tightened in shame. </p>
<p>     “Oh?” Elsa looked at her happily, and it only made it worse. She looked down at her beer glass.</p>
<p>     “I’m trying to figure out what the <em>biggest</em> issue is for the students.” <em>That's a l</em><em>ie. </em> “I was wondering if… did Oliver mention anything… in his note?” <em>Stop it, yo</em><em>u’re using her. </em></p>
<p>     “You mean his suicide note?” Elsa asked quietly, a small frown settling in place. Her happy smile disappeared. A lump formed in Maren’s throat, trying to force her to stop, but she pushed through it. </p>
<p>     “Yeah. It would help to know.” <em> How far are you going to go?</em></p>
<p>     “I… I suppose so. But no, he didn’t, not really. I read it before the police arrived.” Elsa’s breaths were slow and deep, calming.</p>
<p>     “Oh, I didn’t know.” <em> Yes you did. </em></p>
<p>     “It was mostly apologies. I mean, you can read between the lines and assume that the pressure at school definitely didn’t help but I don’t know… Do you want to know something?” She smiled grimly across at Maren, who cocked her head in question. “I fought with the board all of last year to allow me to hire a counsellor. I knew I wouldn’t be able to make all the changes I planned quickly, so I thought <em> maybe </em> If I could get someone in to help the children it would be okay to wait it out. They refused, then blamed me when Oliver… It's almost comedic.” </p>
<p>     Maren felt her eyes burn with anger. She hated the board more than anything, blamed them almost entirely for the issues with the school, and she hated herself for making Elsa have to feel the pain of the situation all over again. </p>
<p>     “I’m… sorry.” Maren wasn’t even sure what she was apologising for at that point. Maybe for the past, maybe what she was bringing up again, or maybe for what she knew would happen in the future.</p>
<p>     “There’s a memorial service for Oliver in three weeks. I wanted to go, but I don’t think I would be welcome.” Elsa had stopped drinking, and was staring into the blue liquid longingly. </p>
<p>     “I’ll go with you.” Maren said it before she thought about it. She knew what going to the service with Elsa would mean, but she also knew that she couldn’t keep up the pretence much longer. If she had to hurt her, then she was going to do her damnedest to help her heal first. </p>
<p>     Elsa’s eyebrows shot up, and she pinned Maren with a surprised stare. </p>
<p>     “If you want me to… that is?” Maren followed up quickly.</p>
<p>     “I… would like that. Thank you.” Her smile was both sad and happy at the same time. Maren downed the rest of her beer, and looked at Elsa's almost finished martini.</p>
<p>     “Would you like me to drive you home?” She asked. Elsa’s smile dropped. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     “Are you sure this is safe?” Elsa asked, and the worry in her voice made Maren smile. She pushed the helmet down over the blondes head, tightening the strap under her chin. It was a little big, suited to her brothers larger head, but it would do for the short distance. She had made Elsa put on her thick biker trousers, and they were a bit big on her, which looked incredibly cute. It was a very short drive to Elsa’s house, so as much as she didn’t like not wearing full gear, she would rather keep Elsa protected. She had made sure Elsa wasn’t actually drunk before deciding to actually let her on the bike, but Elsa seemed to be more than in control, despite being a little tipsy. </p>
<p>     “Perfectly.” She slipped onto the bike, looking back to Elsa. “Hop on.” </p>
<p>     The woman stared at the vehicle, a light sneer on her face. It was obvious she didn’t like the idea, but she had agreed to the ride anyway. With a quiet groan, Elsa got on the bike slowly, and Maren watched her shift forward until they were almost pressed fully up against each other. Her mouth went dry when Elsa delicately pressed her hands against Maren's waist, looking up nervously at her. </p>
<p>     She kicked the bike into life, and Elsa jumped a little behind her, immediately sliding her arms around Maren’s body and gripping her tightly. She had to bite back a groan at the feel of their bodies pressed together so closely. </p>
<p>     “Just hold on tight, don’t move around too much, and if I tilt to turn don’t freeze up.” She waited for the nod of confirmation, and then slowly started moving. There was a light gasp from behind her, but she focused on the road, driving them quickly to Elsa’s home. She knew how to get to it, the road a mere offshoot from the academy, but she hadn’t actually <em> seen </em>it before. </p>
<p>     The house itself was further away from the school than she had imagined, with large fields and a line of trees separating the grounds. She could see stables from the entrance, and could imagine Kristoff sneaking through the trees to go and brush the horses. As she brought the bike to a stop on the paved floor, she had to take a second to breathe at the sight before her. It wasn’t that the house was overly large or grand, though it could easily hold a family of five instead of just two women. What caught her breath was how <em> perfect </em> it looked. The bushes out the front were sculpted into teardrops, and the walls were clean and white, like they had been painted only weeks before. She could see Elsa in the pristine and proper design, but also in the soft yellow lights and natural ivy that had been allowed to grow up the side of one window. It felt like two houses had battled against each other, much like with Elsa’s personality, until a uniquely intriguing harmony was made.</p>
<p>     “Wow.” Maren said as Elsa pulled her arms back from her waist, and slipped off of the bike. She tore her eyes away from the house and got off the vehicle too, taking both their helmets off, and holding out a hand to take the trousers back and place them on the bike. She noticed the entertained smile on Elsa’s face. “What?” </p>
<p>     “You look a little overwhelmed.” Elsa nodded towards the house, and Maren rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. </p>
<p>     “Yeah, I- your house is beautiful.” She said, looking back to it longingly. She didn’t need more than she had in life, but she couldn’t help the stab of desire over the ease at which Elsa afforded things. She knew the woman’s life there hadn’t been great, but as a kid her and Ryder had fantasised about living in a place like this. </p>
<p>     “I tried to make it my own after father left.” Elsa said, following her gaze briefly. </p>
<p>     “It’s... “ She sighed, looking back to Elsa before she finished. “Gorgeous.” </p>
<p>     Elsa breathed in slowly, looking at Maren with an intensity that terrified her. She was sure she was looking at Elsa the same way. The air wasn’t cold, but she felt her body ripple with a shiver. Elsa was alluring at the best of times, but with her guard down she was almost magical. For a moment she was swept up in it all, staring silently into icy blue eyes, fingers tingling with the need to touch her. </p>
<p>     When Elsa’s eyes flicked down to her lips she panicked, heart thumping violently. If she let this go where it was headed she was sealing her fate, and damning Elsa to heartbreak at the same time. Her brain fought to get back in control, but then Elsa looked back up into her eyes, taking a small step forward. They were so close, and her head swam as she lost all sense of right and wrong. </p>
<p>     “E-elsa… I-” She made one final attempt to say something, body frozen in place, but she didn’t get the words out. </p>
<p>     Elsa closed the distance between them, fingers grazing Maren’s chest as she leaned in to press their lips together. It was light, but the contact lit a fire within her. Elsa seemed to have the same reaction, hands slowly clenching around the front of her jacket as she groaned almost immediately into Maren’s lips. Maren’s hands found Elsa's hips as she kissed the woman back. Their mouths opened to deepen the contact, and Maren’s fingers dug into flesh at the intensity of it. Elsa gasped, pressing herself as close as she could against her, chests and hips flush together. A moan worked its way free from Maren’s mouth, and she raised a hand to grab at the back of Elsa's head, keeping their lips connected. If there was a wall nearby she would have pushed her against it, but they were too far away from the house. Maren’s chest tightened, calling out for more air, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away. Their bodies swayed as they moved against each others lips, the pace growing more frantic as the heat between them built. </p>
<p>     Luckily for Maren, Elsa had slightly more control, which was surprising considering she was supposed to be the tipsy one. She pulled away just enough to gasp down some air, pressing her forehead against Maren’s own. The air was charged between them, luring them back together, and Maren was a slave to the call. When she tried to tilt back into the kiss Elsa stopped her with a slight pressure on her chest, and they caught eyes. Maren’s breath caught at the blown, lustful pupils in front of her.</p>
<p>     “Do you want to come inside?” Elsa said, voice thick with want. The implication of the question sent a tingle through her body and down between her legs. Maren fought back a growl of excitement, giving herself a second to pause and think. She finally took notice of the sirens screaming in her head, telling her that what she was doing was a mistake, and a sinking feeling hit her suddenly. With one final squeeze to her hip she took a small step away from Elsa, looking over the woman's shoulder to try and clear the lust from her brain; it wasn’t easy to do when Elsa’s hair was so erotically dishevelled. </p>
<p>     “I can’t.” She said carefully, watching as Elsa’s relaxed appearance tensed up at the rejection. Quickly, she followed up with an explanation, before Elsa could read into her words too much. “I <em>want</em> to, don’t get me wrong, but… I… you’ve been drinking, <em> and </em> you’re my boss, I can’t just jump into bed with you like that.” </p>
<p>     Elsa relaxed again, but Maren tensed instead. The words were true, but that wasn’t the real reason she had stopped.</p>
<p>     “Oh, I see. Of course.” Elsa responded, licking her lips and keeping her eyes trained intensely on Maren's. The reminder of their kiss tingled on her lips, but she didn’t dare give in to the desire to repeat the performance. She cleared her throat, shifting.</p>
<p>     “Okay, I should uh… I should get going.” Maren said, and she moved back to her bike before Elsa had a chance to stop her. She clipped the second helmet onto the back of her bike, stepped swiftly into her trousers, then picked up her own helmet. Her anxiety grew steadily in the silence, and eventually she chanced a look back at Elsa, who was stood rather uncomfortably in the same spot, watching her. She was pleased that Elsa didn’t look upset, or angry, but she did seem nervous, rubbing her hands together in front of her. </p>
<p>     “Goodnight Elsa.” She said softly, smiling lightly at the blonde. </p>
<p>     “Goodnight Maren…” Elsa practically whispered the words.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ahhhhh, I've had this written for a week and it's been killing me having to wait to post it. </p>
<p>Its getting really hard to reply to some of the theories because there is one person who has almost nailed it in certain areas. Others are off, or missing little bits, but I have seen one in particular in the last week or so that was spot on. </p>
<p>Millacnin  - A pretty blue Curacao Martini it is ;)</p>
<p>ameliafuckingshepherd - I'm writing the start of the smut right now, (not gonna say what chapter it's in) and I'm just as impatient to post it XD</p>
<p>oblivionstar - Elsa is quite headstrong, as we learn in this chapter, she just plays a part.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 13</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Her week off had been relaxing, but she still felt burdened when she returned to the school the following Monday. She had been quick to fill her brother in on how her evening with Elsa had gone, minus the kiss part, and he had been surprised by some of the things she had told him. Without detailed plans, she couldn’t exactly promote Elsa’s take over plans completely, and Ryder had been more than a little unsure about it all. She could see his concern, but he didn’t know Elsa like she did, and couldn’t trust that her luxurious upbringing wouldn’t get in the way of her doing real good to the school. He had expressed a sadness that Elsa had been thrown under the bus over Oliver’s death though, and seemed to be generally warming up to the idea that she was nicer than she came across. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren sipped at her coffee, watching out of her office window as the students funnelled towards the entrance of the school. They gathered in large groups, talking excitedly as if they hadn’t seen each other in months rather than just a week. It tired her out to see them so joyous so early in the day, but she supposed that the respite group would be practically empty because of it, which was a good thing. She sighed, enjoying the peace that came with having a private office. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Shaggy blonde hair caught her attention, and she noticed Kristoff heading in. She looked away, but then did a double take when she saw that Anna was walking beside him, and the two seemed to be getting along. Brows raising, she watched as Kristoff grinned at something Anna said, looking at her with adoration in his eyes. It was sweet to see them together, and she smiled, taking another sip of coffee. Kristoff looked towards her window, squinting for a moment before waving excitedly. With a chuckle she gave him a thumbs up, nodding in Anna’s direction. He glanced at Anna, biting his lip, and then shot her a subtle thumbs up in return. He turned his attention back to his crush, engaging fully once more in what she was saying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her mood was lighter after that, thinking that if nothing else, she had had a positive impact on at least one student in the school. It would be worth it just for that. Moving away from the window, she picked up the book she had been reading earlier, looking at the beaten up cover. It was the same book she had seen Elsa reading in the library, and she had found her eyes drawn to it once more after their `non-date`. She couldn’t help but imagine Elsa and herself in the characters in the book, and it made it much harder to get through. Flicking through the pages she sat down to read a bit, knowing she didn’t have any work to do until the assembly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The hall filled up slowly, with students unwilling to finish their conversations. Even the teachers seemed a bit more laid back than usual, and she leaned against the wall to chat to Mattias while they waited. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How do you wear so many layers? It’s boiling in here!” She asked him, rolling up the sleeves of her white shirt, deciding that she didn’t care about giving off the right impression anymore. Her role had sparked enough drama as it was; there was no point trying to be the sophisticated, smartly dressed woman they wanted her to be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You get used to it.” Mattias shrugged. “Though I must admit the tie is a bit stifling today.” He loosened it a little, but not enough to look any less professional. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I never liked wearing ties.” She pulled a face at the item of clothing, crossing her arms over her chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes well not all of us are able to get away with wearing what you’re wearing.” He said with a smirk, and Maren frowned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do you mean?” She asked, confused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You get away with a lot, that’s all I'm saying.” He replied, and Maren’s frown deepened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Els- Miss Winters tells me off all the time?” She hadn’t gotten off any lighter from the woman, even after she had gotten involved with the Winters' personal affairs. It concerned her that people might be picking up on their changing relationship. Mattias quirked an eyebrow at the almost name slip, making Maren curse internally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sure, but after you fight back she lets you have your way.” It was true, and it gave Maren pause. She stared at Mattias, not sure what to reply with. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The doors at the far side of the hallway opened sharply, and the two of them turned their heads at the sound of heels clicking quickly over the hard floors. Maren wasn’t surprised to see the heels belonged to Elsa, but her jaw almost dropped to the floor when she laid eyes on her. Her black skirt was shorter than the ones she usually favoured, showing off more of her legs than ever before. Maren’s eyes worked their way up quickly, taking in the fact that an extra button was undone on her pale blue shirt, drawing the attention to her chest in a less than family friendly way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Something warm flooded through her chest as she noticed she wasn’t the only one looking at Elsa with wide eyes. She wanted to storm over there and pull her away from their line of sight, which was entirely uncalled for considering that the outfit was still more than suitable, Elsa just looked entirely too good in it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Settle down.” Elsa called out commandingly, and her voice had more bite than normal. The students quietened down almost immediately, sensing that she wasn’t to be messed with in whatever mood she was in. Several of the teachers looked at each other nervously, standing up straighter. The headmistress glanced at the students, and then worked her way around the teachers at the side of the hall, making sure everyone was in attendance. When her eyes landed on Maren, she looked her up and down quickly, lingering just long enough to make Maren’s pulse speed up. She raised an eyebrow at her, seeming to judge her more relaxed attire, but then moved on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “See?” Mattias whispered, smirking. Maren kept quiet, not wanting to make it too obvious that she knew exactly why she might be getting special treatment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Good morning. We didn’t have an assembly before the break so I’ll say congratulations for finishing your ranking exams now. They have been marked and the results will be going up tomorrow. Obviously your parents will be receiving letters or emails with your results as well, and you can tell them to expect those by the end of the week.” Elsa spoke formally, addressing the students in a polite but stern manner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I still think the ranking system is fucked up.” She whispered to Mattias while Elsa spoke. He nodded at her, eyes wide in agreement. “I bet I'll have more students in my office this week…” Mattias chuckled quietly at her words. A small smirk appeared on her face at their joint hatred for the system in place, but when she realised that Elsa had stopped talking she turned back to the front. All eyes were on her, and she felt a nervous flush spread quickly over her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Is there something important you have to say Miss Nattura?” Elsa said curtly, hands clasped in front of her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Uh, no?” She replied, noticing a few teachers trying not to laugh over the other side of the room. She wished the floor would swallow her whole. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You may not be a student but I expect everyone here to pay attention.” The headmistress said, brows quirking up in challenge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course, I apologise.” Maren managed to keep her eyes trained on Elsa’s, finding her annoyed gaze more comfortable than the eyes of everyone else. In private she might have fought back, but her fear of being in the public eye made her frustration be entirely covered up with awkwardness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The assembly continued without any more issues, but Maren felt uncomfortable for the rest of it. She didn’t understand why she had been called out like that. Sure, she broke a rule, and she would have expected a glare, but Elsa’s response seemed different than usual. It made her wonder if perhaps she was angry at Maren for leaving that night at her house, but she hadn’t seemed bitter at the time. Maybe she was acting over the top so that no one would suspect they were… involved. Not that they </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> involved, but she was sure it wouldn’t go down well if the other teachers found out that the terrifying Miss Winters had invited the lower class school counsellor into her bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The sexy clothing wasn’t massively out of the norm. She always looked good, and the skirt could just be a new style, but the undone button was certainly different. Part of her thought for a egotistical second that Elsa might be trying to seduce her, but she quickly cast that idea aside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay, I take it back.” Mattias laughed as soon as they were out of the hall. “That was brutal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What was </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> about?” A concerned voice said, and Ella popped up beside them. Her expression was full of suspicion, making Maren sigh. She really didn’t need Ella reading between the lines and figuring anything out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No idea. Something’s got her in a mood.” Maren shrugged, and Mattias nodded, none the wiser. Ella hummed, frowning at Maren. “I’ll see you at lunch?” She said to Mattias, trying to throw her friend off the trail, quickly departing to head to her office. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     When she sat down at her desk she noticed that she had a few emails, and clicked into the app. Most of it was junk, and she opened them methodically until she saw that the most recent one was from Elsa with the title `Restraint`. She hovered the mouse over it for a second before finally opening it. She stared at the single sentence, not daring to breathe. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Miss Nattura, seeing as you’re so good at restraint, perhaps you could try showing some during assembly? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren gaped at the email, not sure how to take it. It was either very aggressive or very flirtatious, and she had no idea which one it might be. Maybe both? For a few minutes she read and re-read the sentence, debating whether or not to reply. She could go and speak to her in person, but that seemed like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad idea. If she was annoyed, it would end in an argument, but if she was being flirtatious then she didn’t know how well she could fight against the allure of her new outfit choice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Plonking her head into her hands, she groaned. Her brain conjured an image of Elsa writing the email, glasses on as she sat at her desk, and she felt a fire ignite in her stomach. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     With a huff of annoyance she sat up straight, breathing in deeply as she clicked reply, typing quickly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     I’ll show you restraint…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>      Delete.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Maybe you could keep my mouth occupied a better way?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Delete.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Of course, Miss Winters.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Send.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren closed her eyes, dropping her head back into her hands again. It was hard to fight against her desires, and even more difficult to let Elsa show such control over her when her dominant side was fighting so hard to take over. She had worked at the school for almost two months, with three more to go before the end of the year; she wasn’t sure how she was going to last. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     The next morning she looked out of her window, hoping to see Anna and Kristoff walking in together again. Unfortunately she was disappointed, instead scowling at the sight of Anna and Belle talking excitedly to Hans and Peter. The girl looked practically giddy, and Maren huffed at the sight. As she moved to walk back to her desk she noticed Kristoff stood by one of the hedges, frowning that the foursome. She understood his hatred of the boy, but she was curious about the visible anger he was displaying, fists clenched tightly at his side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Looking back to the group, and squinted, trying to figure out what they were doing. Hans had something in his hand, a canister of some sort. It didn’t take much thought for her to quickly crack open the window, letting their voices flood into the office.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t think I’ll have time to give it back to him. I feel bad about it.” Hans said, pushing his hair back. Peter looked bored, but his eyes were quite happy looking Belle up and down. Maren sneered, not liking him either.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I have first period with him? I could give it back for you?” Anna said helpfully, and Hans looked surprised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Really? Wow, Anna you’re a lifesaver!” He replied, holding out the black item to her. She took it, and Maren could see it looked like a film canister. It wasn’t something she thought Hans would ever need to borrow... </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She looked back at Kristoff, who was practically shaking with rage, and it began to add up in her head. Hans was still supplying the students with drugs of some kind, and using the girls to do it. No wonder he kept them out of the loop. It probably explained why so many students got into trouble on behalf of him too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course! N-not a problem!” Anna’s stuttering was cute, but seeing her so flustered over a boy who was using her was frustrating. Hans raised a hand, brushing some hair away from Anna’s freckled face, and she had to stop herself from jumping out of the window and telling him to back off. Getting to know Anna on a more personal level, and getting so close to Elsa too, had made her a little protective over the youngest Winters girl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her eyes strayed back to the blonde boy as a thought hit her. If he was so affected, maybe she could persuade him to finally confirm the information she needed to get Hans suspended for his actions. As the group walked away he seemed to notice her staring, looking over and catching her eye. He seemed shocked, but didn’t bother trying to compose himself. It was a good sign that he might be angry enough about the situation to give in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Flirty or kinda angry? Who knows with Elsa? ;)</p>
<p>L.A - I had a lot of fun writing that kiss :P I'm glad you enjoyed it too</p>
<p>MLauren (vannminner) - So many people have been unsure about AU's, which surprises me because I really love them. I'm glad you gave it a shot though, hopefully you continue to like it :)</p>
<p>jayceee_3 - I think it depend on if you read/watch mystery genre stuff. If you don't then you might not automatically look for suspicious things going on, whereas others jump to the most dramatic situations immediately. Its good to see both happening, that means I'm doing a good job at being subtle while giving all the right hints!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 14 </strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     “Kristoff, thanks for coming to see me.” Maren said, waving at the chair opposite hers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The boy sat down, still looking angry. She had requested his come in that morning, going so far as to request for him to be pulled out of class. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sure.” He flopped down in the chair, and Maren was actually pleased that his posture was so formidable. She pulled out her notepad, keeping it on her knee under the desk, pen in hand. It wouldn’t do to scare him off by making notes straight away, but she wanted to be sure she could keep a word for word record of anything he said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I had some concerns about something I saw this morning. Do you want to discuss it?” She said, getting right to the point. He was either going to tell her or not, so there was no point beating around the bush. He didn’t tense up, shoulders already tight with anger, but his leg started bouncing slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You mean Hans creeping on Anna? Or Peter creeping on Belle? Or the two of them being scumbags in general?” His voice held a bite. Maren scribbled down a few words, barely glancing down at the paper. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “All of it. You seemed affected by it? Why was that?” She prompted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Because he’s an ass, I hate him.“ He groaned, stopping himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He asked her to return something, right? Why do you think that annoyed you so much?” Kristoff was easy to anger when it came to Hans, and she played into it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Return it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sure.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna didn’t seem to mind.” She said, and watched him clench his teeth together. She pushed once more. “Maybe he’s not as bad as you think?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He is.” Kristoff said resolutely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna seems to like him.” She saw the moment Kristoff lost it, the tension in his body snapping under the pressure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>using her</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” He practically shouted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Using her for what?” She quickly continued, scribbling on the paper as fast as she could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “To pass around the drugs!” He scrunched his eyes closed as soon as he said it, bringing both hands to his face in frustration. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren breathed a sigh of relief, finally having what she needed. She wrote down his words perfectly on the page, before turning her attention back to him. His panic was visible, and she tried not too look too excited.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You can’t tell anyone I said that. Please, you just can’t.” He begged her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course not. I speak to </span>
  <em>
    <span>a lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> of students, and I witnessed the event this morning myself anyway.” She spoke sincerely, making sure to say calm and reassuring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s been using the girls for a while now. All the guys have gotten into trouble a few times, and he tells people he </span>
  <em>
    <span>cares</span>
  </em>
  <span> and then gives them a break so their records don’t look bad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Kristoff still sounded anxious, which was to be expected, but he seemed open now that it was already out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How long has this been going on for?” It was hard for her to keep up with her frantic notes, but she wanted to get as much written word for word as she could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Two years? Long enough.” He said, sitting up more in the chair. He was starting to look a bit more like himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay. You know I'll have to talk to Miss Winters about this, but I'll make sure to keep you out of it.” He nodded in understanding, more relaxed, but still nervous. “Do you know who Anna might be delivering the film canister to?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Either Eric or Adam. They’re the only two who don’t have any classes with Hans, so they usually get things delivered instead.” He seemed pretty sure about his answer, and Elsa worried for a moment how involved he might have been at some point to know as much as he did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you happen to know if Oliver was using any of Hans drugs?” It was something she had wondered ever since she uncovered the issue, but had no real way of getting an answer until now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I… I don’t know. But he didn’t have good grades, so probably. I know his family was quite hot on grades with his brother.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren frowned at that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sure. Thank you for telling me about this Kristoff.” She smiled at him, and he managed a small one of his own. “On a more positive note, things actually seem to be going well with Anna, I see?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     He chuckled at that, hearing the inquisitiveness in her voice. She wanted to rush off and tell Elsa, but she had booked Kristoff in for half an hour, and it would be unprofessional to leave it there. Besides, he was obviously still anxious, and needed to talk for a while to calm down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah, actually. I took your advice, asked her to brush the horses while we were on break. We actually hung out twice. It was awesome.” His leg was still tapping lightly, but the distraction seemed to help. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That’s good. Well done for making the first move!” She praised him, and he grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t think she’ll go for me, but it’s nice to hang out.” He said, and Maren picked up on the undertone of self deprecation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Why is that?” She asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well, I’m not exactly her type. I’m not all prim and proper like the other boys here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren knew he still felt out of place, and had been working on making him feel more comfortable with the environment, but the knowledge that he felt sub par in comparison to the boys was new. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t think that `prim and proper` automatically means attractive, physically or mentally.” She suggested, and he sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “But they all have fortunes and they walk so... nicely, and they have perfect hair and clothes and stuff. Plus, they can all talk to people without getting flustered.” He replied. He sounded resigned to what he thought was his fate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Women don’t want to be with someone just because of those things. In fact, personally, I would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>less</span>
  </em>
  <span> likely to date a guy if they were like that.” She smiled at him, and he chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well yeah but that's becau-”. He stopped, blushing a bit. “Never mind.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren frowned, not understanding the way he had responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No, go on.” She was curious why he had gotten flustered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Uh… Anna said you were… you know.” Maren knew what he was implying, but she stayed quiet, and he continued. “She said you and Miss Winters… I don't know, I’m sorry!” His face was a deep shade of red by the time he finished, and Maren took a slow breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “If you’re suggesting I like women then yes, I do.” She left out any mention of Elsa. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>But</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that doesn’t change the fact that I would even </span>
  <em>
    <span>less</span>
  </em>
  <span> likely to like a man who acted all high and mighty.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Kristoff snorted with laughter, loosening up again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You really don’t think it matters?” He was still smiling, but it was easy to tell he had serious insecurities about the subject.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course. You need to focus on what you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> offer instead of what you can’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     They talked for a while longer, Maren slowly breaking down his insecurities. It was a successful session in her mind, and when Kristoff left with a smile on his face she found herself satisfied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Notebook in hand, she knocked on Elsa’s office door with a grin. Her firm voice could be heard from inside, and Maren thought Elsa must be mid meeting. For privacy, she took a step back, happy to wait until she was done with whoever was inside. It surprised her when the door suddenly flew open, and Elsa stared at her with a frown. Maren went to speak, but Elsa held a finger up to her lips, signalling her to be quiet. She noticed the phone in Elsa’s hand, pressed to her ear, and she nodded in understanding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Normally she would have expected Elsa to tell her to wait outside, but when she turned back to the office, she clicked her fingers at Maren, pointing inside. She followed the instruction, heading inside and quietly clicking the door shut. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “With all due respect Mr Weselton, I highly doubt that.” Elsa rolled her eyes, and Maren smirked at the realisation that she was talking to the board. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The headmistress pointed to the chair on the other side of her desk, prompting Maren to sit down. Elsa leaned against the side of the desk, too close for comfort in Maren’s opinion. Her blue eyes ran over Maren’s body while she listened to the man on the phone. They were hungry, and she rested them on her neck for too long. Maren looked away, trying not to let herself react to the lust being so strongly presented to her. That answered the question of the meaning behind the email at least. She wouldn’t have minded it so much, but Elsa’s posture was tight, her words laced with authority in a way that suggested she wasn’t going to act any warmer to the woman than usual. She swallowed thickly, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course. I will be sure to send you over the documentation by the end of the week. Now, if you don’t mind I have other matters to attend to.” Maren might have been looking past Elsa, but she caught the small smirk that touched the corner of the woman's lips as she stared at her. “Goodbye Mr Weselton.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa moved to sit in her chair after clicking to end the call with a huff. Maren watched her get settled, crossing one leg slowly over the other, and pulling herself closer to the desk. Every move she made seemed calculated, and it was driving Maren wild. She felt the beginnings of a flame sparking up inside of her, but she filed her desires away in the “do not open” compartment of her brain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura. What can I help you with?” Elsa asked formally, no hint of anything more than work in her voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I have confirmation that Hans is the one passing drugs through the Academy.” The intention was to wave the information around like a trophy, proud that she had finally got to the bottom of it, but Elsa’s antics had distracted her, and the words lacked much enthusiasm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What?” Elsa actually dropped the act for a minute, eyes wide.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I got a student to confirm it, and I witnessed him giving a package to a girl to deliver for him.” She didn’t want to make Elsa worry by mentioning Anna, but she jumped on it immediately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Who was the girl?” She asked, and Maren sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna. From what I’ve now been told, the girls don’t know about it at all. They’re under the impression Hans is flirting with them, and then he manages to manipulate them to `return` items to people. Apparently the guys also do it, but they get in trouble more than the girls.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa was clearly affected by the knowledge that Anna was being used like that, but she kept her professional attitude firmly in place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I take it you have everything written down?” She asked seriously, and Maren nodded, holding up the notepad. “Okay, you’ll need to write up a report, don’t leave </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>out. We need physical evidence really though.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I was told that the package Anna was delivering might be for an Eric or an Adam? Do those names mean much to you?” She asked, and Elsa nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Adam dates Belle on and off. Anna has French with him, which I </span>
  <em>
    <span>think</span>
  </em>
  <span> is this period.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Are you allowed to do searches and stuff?” Maren still wasn’t entirely sure on all of the schools protocols, but she was under the impression that the potential possession of drugs came under a slightly different set of rules. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes, we can perform searches even without the students consent if we think that they might have dangerous or illegal items on them.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren nodded, but Elsa looked worried. The whirlwind of thoughts running through her head was visible in the almost unnoticeable bite of her lip, and typical pressing of her thumb against her forefinger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura... “ Elsa started after a moment. “I don’t want any students getting into long term trouble for this. They’re too young....”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I see.” For a second Maren felt a stab of anger hit her. It seemed typical for the rich, white kid to get away with being a danger to other students.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Don’t get me wrong, Hans needs to be dealt with. However, his father has very close ties with the police force. I’m pretty sure his donation every year would be enough to prevent it ever getting anywhere if we took it down that route. Which would just mean Adam and the other boys getting in trouble instead, and Hans walking away unscathed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     A sigh of relief worked its way free as Maren was once again proven wrong by the woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay, so what do we do then?” She asked, hoping Elsa had a plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We make it business.” Elsa sat back in her chair, the businesswoman inside of her taking over. “I want Mr Isles off of the board, and Hans expelled. The only way to get to someone with as much power as he has is to defame him. If we prove we have evidence that could easily ruin the family reputation then he will eat out of our hands.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren’s heart sped up. It was so far out of her comfort zone to get involved in something like that. Blackmailing someone as rich as Mr Isles… it scared the shit out of her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Doesn’t he give the school a lot of money?” She asked. Elsa had a plan in place already to take over the school, surely this would ruin it?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He does, but we don’t need it. This academy makes more profit each year than any school ever should. Besides, it will only come out of my father's account, not mine.” Elsa sounded almost excited at the prospect of riling up her father, and Maren’s head swam. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I- Isn’t this a bit dangerous?” She said anxiously, and Elsa shrugged. If Maren wasn’t still trying to be professional she would have whimpered, nerves wracking her entire body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Everything has consequences. I’m sure there will be some… negative ramifications i’ll have to deal with, but it will be worth it in the long term. No students will be hurt, and they won't be influenced by Hans anymore. He’ll get enough stick from his family that he doesn’t need a record to go with it, that's a sure way to make him even more unpredictable. Plus, with Mr Isles gone, my father won't have anyone to feed him lies about my performance. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>also</span>
  </em>
  <span> the main person against having a counsellor in the school, so</span>
  <em>
    <span> you </span>
  </em>
  <span>would have much more room to work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It all sounded like a great idea in theory, but reality was different. Elsa looked set on her ideas, already calculating a plan of action, tapping a finger against the edge of the desk. Maren’s brows were knitted together, shoulders tense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Are you sure about this?” She caught Elsa’s eye, pleading with her to consider it seriously. The woman smiled slightly, nodding once, and Maren knew that she would go ahead whether she helped or not. She couldn’t deny being nervous about how Elsa’s father might react to it all, but she tried to accept Elsa’s wishes and didn’t bring it up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     After a good ten minutes of deep discussion, they had a decent plan in place. They would head down to the class before it ended, and then search both Adam and Anna’s belongings. It would be better to find it on Adam, but with two people able to confirm that Anna had been told to give it to him it wouldn’t be a problem if it was still on her. Then, Maren would write up a full report detailing the events, and all their other information. It would be signed and duplicated, before Elsa would bring in Mr Isles and Hans for a meeting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Once the conversation drew to an anxious end, Maren and Elsa sat in an almost comfortable silence. She found herself thinking back to the way Elsa had been in the previous morning's assembly, and decided to talk to her before things got even more awkward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Winters.” She frowned, it all felt too formal after their previous conversation. “Elsa.” That caught the woman's attention, her brows quirking up. Elsa was leaning on her elbows, hands clasped a few inches away from her face. She was close enough to lean over and kiss… not that she was thinking about that possibility at all. “I think we should talk. About our- the night we- the </span>
  <em>
    <span>evening</span>
  </em>
  <span> we spent…” She sighed, clenching her jaw against her own frustration. No matter how she worded it, it sounded so… intimate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa seemed to get the gist, a small smirk playing at her lips suddenly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh? What about it?” She asked, the amusement audible in the lightness of her tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well I- We-” Maren was finding it incredibly difficult to think of anything coherent to say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Listen, Miss Nattura.” The use of her last name seemed out of place, but Elsa was nothing but professional, even in this situation. “I understand why you left that night. It was valiant, and sensible, and I appreciate that you didn’t want to take advantage or make things awkward between us at work. However, I would like to make it explicitly clear that I am now very much sober, and very much consenting. As for our work relationship, I can assure you that I am more than capable of being your boss, and keeping things professional, while having sex with you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren almost choked. Elsa was a very blunt person, and apparently even the most uncomfortable of topics wouldn’t change that. It was empowering, to see Elsa offering herself the way she was while still managing to stay in complete control over the situation. But no matter how willing Elsa was, Maren wasn’t. It simply wasn’t a good idea, especially not when she had honest feelings for the woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I still don’t thin-” Elsa shook her head the moment she started talking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m not asking you for anything here. If you don’t want to, then we won’t; you don’t need to explain yourself. For a week, just don’t kiss me.” She shrugged, as if it was such a simple thing to say. Which it was, in theory. Elsa was giving her a simple way out, one that didn’t embarrass either party; all she had to do was not kiss her and Elsa would get her answer and stop flirting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay, I can do that.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Can you?</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa smirked, but reigned in the excitement quickly, which made Maren nervous. If today was anything to go by, then for the immediate future Elsa would be flirting with her until she either gave her an answer or she made it clear from her responses that she didn’t want it. Which she did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We should… head to Anna’s french class then?” She said, wanting to remove herself from temptation as soon as possible. Maren stood up to leave, and Elsa followed suit. She turned to the door, taking a few steps towards it, when she was stopped by Elsa’s voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura.” Her tone was sharp, commanding. It sent a shiver down Maren's spine. She turned to look at her, not moving as Elsa took a few slow steps towards her, coming to a stop mere inches away. Maren’s heart began to beat fast, and her lips parted slightly. Elsa was drawn to the movement, and looked down at them for a second, before looking back into her eyes with a judgemental quirk to her brows. Less than two minutes and she was already struggling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The blonde reached out a hand, sliding a finger up Maren's bare forearm until it reached the rolled up sleeves of her shirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “This attire is not appropriate for the workplace. Sort it out.” She tugged at the edge of her sleeve, before letting go and taking a step back. Maren was left in a trance, standing still for a couple of seconds, unable to reply. She saw a tiny hint of a smirk on Elsa’s lips once again, and the realisation that she was proving a point dawned on her. She would treat her no different to every other teacher, calling her out for breaking rules even if she </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> interested in her. Elsa seemed to know that that kind of power play would make Maren crazy with lust, and she certainly seemed to be enjoying herself. Her entire body thrummed with energy at the knowledge, the burning, restless kind that wanted to fight for control. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course.” She bit out through gritted teeth, flicking her eyes up to the ceiling to keep them away from the extra skin visible on Elsa’s chest. One week suddenly seemed like such a long time. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Main take away: Han's isn't quite as much of a little shit as Mr Isles, Elsa is a sexy minx, and Maren is just a nervous gay at this point.</p>
<p>I cant remember who asked, but someone a while ago asked if any of this would be from Elsa's perspective. The answer is yes, but i'm not going to say much more than that.</p>
<p>DrafteeDragon - Luckily Elsa would be too careful to get caught out, Maren's motley crew are close enough to notice, but no once else should see more than Elsa being a bitch. She's sneaky. </p>
<p>Firepos - Maren desperately wants to show Elsa who is the boss in the bedroom, and Elsa is pretty aware of that hahaha using her power against Maren makes her both angry and aroused, its quite funny.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 15</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa slipped off to get something when they were out of her office, leaving Maren to stand nervously in the hall waiting for her. She leaned her back against the wall at first, then moved to press her head against the cool metal of the lockers, before finally giving in to pacing the hall restlessly. She checked the clock on her phone, more than aware that there were only fifteen minutes before the end of the lesson, when the halls would be filled with students rushing to head home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa's heels could be heard from around the corner, and she twirled around quickly, arms folded tightly over her chest. She had rolled down the sleeves of her shirt at Elsa’s request, which only made the heat of the day feel even more claustrophobic. There was a man walking alongside Elsa, and it took her a minute to remember who he was. Hercules Oeta, the P.E. teacher, was a sweet man from what she had seen of him. Apparently his father was the owner of some big shot sports company, but Hercules was more into the sports themselves than the company. Giving his muscular figure a once over, she could see why Elsa wanted to bring him along.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Are you ready?” Maren asked when they got close enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes, let's get this over with.” Elsa didn’t look nervous, which calmed Maren’s own nerves drastically. They all took a deep breath, before Elsa led the way, pushing open the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Headmistress?” The french teacher asked from inside, and Maren followed Elsa to the front of the room. Hercules stayed outside, waiting for them. It wasn’t that they expected trouble, but it helped to have a physically strong person there just in case.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I apologise for the intrusion. I need to speak to both Adam and Anna.” Elsa turned to look at her confused sister, her professional mask fully in place. “Please bring your bags into the hallway.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The class murmured curiously, and the two students followed them out begrudgingly. Adam looked nervous, which was a good sign, but Anna seemed purely annoyed, not understanding what was going on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Please pass your bags to Mr Oeta.” Maren stepped in once the door was securely closed, wanting to show she was also in control of the situation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Why?” Anna asked, sounding frustrated. “What are you going to do with them?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We have reason to believe one of you has a supply of drugs in your possession.” Elsa said, arms crossing to display her power. Shoulders down, back tense, she was a sight to behold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Anna said, outraged. Adam kept silent, holding onto his bag with a vice grip. Maren was sure he had it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Please give us your bags.” She said, supporting Elsa. Anna stared her down, and for a second she let her face soften, giving the ginger girl a small, encouraging nod. Anna frowned, debating something internally, and her posture relaxed after a moment. She averted her eyes back to Elsa, quickly, before sighing and thrusting her bag to the P.E teacher. Maren wasn’t sure what she had done to win over the girl so much, but she was glad Anna didn’t seem to hate her anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Adam?” Elsa said, and the boy slowly held out his bag. He still hadn’t said anything, and the worry in his face made her feel bad. Elsa had spoken about him briefly, telling her how he took extra classes, and studied hard, but that his grades were average at best. She could understand how he might have thought this was his only option. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Mr Oeta opened the bags, knowing what to look for. It didn’t take long before he pulled the canister out from Adam’s pencil case, handing it to Maren. It made her giddy... She was nervous, excited, and sorrowful for the boy all at once. With a deep breath she popped off the top of the container, tipping out a few of the little orange pills into her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wait… I don’t understand.” Anna said quietly, fear suddenly gripping her. “I didn’t… Elsa I didn’t know I promise!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa held a hand up to Anna, who shut up immediately. Adam was looking at the floor, tears evident in his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Adam?” The headmistress asked, but her voice wasn’t hard and forceful. Instead it was soft, soothing, and Maren watched with awe as the mask dropped to reveal the woman's maternal side. She had seen this side of Elsa with Anna, and heard about it with Kristoff, but it didn’t make it seem any more normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry…” He whispered, clenching his fists. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It’s okay. Look, we don't want to get the police involved, but we will have to talk to your parents. If you tell us who sold it to you then you’ll just get a warning.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren held her breath while the boy thought about his options. She hoped he would take the bait.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I bought them from Hans.” He said slowly, and Maren felt a small smile pull at the corner of her lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans?” Anna asked, finally figuring out what was going on. “But he… no.” She looked hurt, and Elsa gave her a sad smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He used you to get them to Adam without being caught.” Elsa said, and Adam nodded at her, confirming it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna’s eyes filled up with tears. Her breathing caught, and with an angry glare at the floor she turned and fled, walking swiftly down the hall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna!” Adam called after her, but Maren saw Elsa shake her head, placing a hand on his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Adam,” the headmistress began, drawing his attention back to her, “I need you to keep this whole thing between us. For now, if anyone asks why we pulled you out of class tell them there was an issue with your attendance record. Miss Nattura and I will sort out everything else. I’d like you to see her for a few sessions over the next few weeks.” She smiled softly at the boy, who was sporting a deeply concerned frown. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay… thank you... can you apologise to Anna for me? I didn’t know he was going to get her to do it…” Adam said quietly. He sounded genuinely apologetic, and Elsa sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’ll have to talk to her yourself. She has a right to be upset.” Maren said before Elsa could respond. She was glad that Elsa wanted to protect Adam from harm, but he needed to understand that what he had been doing, and allowing Hans to do, was wrong. He nodded at her, and his sad smile told her that he understood what she was saying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa ushered him back inside, and thanked Mr Oeta for his help, sending him away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I should go after Anna.” Elsa said as soon as everyone was cleared out of the hall. She looked incredibly stressed, struggling to keep her cool facade in place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Let me.” Maren said, and Elsa raised her brows, surprised. “She’s angry. She’ll need you to support her when she gets upset, but let me work her through the anger first.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     They stood a metre apart, but in the empty hallway it still felt close. Elsa was looking at her with an uncertain expression, not convinced about letting Maren take care of Anna. She took a few seconds to think about the offer, and Maren began to grow uncomfortable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It is my job after all…” She mumbled, looking at the floor and shifting her feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh! Yes… of course.” Elsa seemed taken aback by her comment, standing up straighter and looking down the hall where her sister had gone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren scrunched her face up in discomfort, cringing at the way the interaction had gone. Though her offer had been meant in a professional way, she couldn’t lie to herself and say that it hadn’t been inspired partially by her own personal connection to the Winters’. She wanted to help. Not just Anna, as her job required, but she wanted to ease Elsa’s stress by being there for the younger sister. Maren looked up at Elsa, who caught her eye. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “She’ll be by the tracks.” Elsa said, a small, thankful smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren nodded, chest contracting against her attempt at breathing. Their conversation from before was still fresh in her mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna wasn’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>by</span>
  </em>
  <span> the tracks, she was on them. Her bag had been flung off to the side, along with her blazer and tie, and she was jogging around the red lines quickly. Maren walked over slowly, watching the girl expel her anger into each footfall. The running track was tucked away, quite far back from the building itself, which gave her a fair amount of privacy. It was also relatively close to the bushes and trees that backed onto her own property. Elsa had known immediately that Anna would go to the tracks, and she wondered if the girl would head there after witnessing an altercation with Elsa and her father too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna!” She called out when she stepped onto the tracks, but the girl ignored her, continuing her jogging. Maren waited while she made her way round, and then called out once more when she was nearly back to her position on the tracks. “Anna, talk to me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Just leave me alone.” Anna grumbled as she jogged past her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren sighed, realising Anna was much angrier than she had initially thought she would be. It didn’t take long for her to make a decision about what to do. Despite Elsa’s previous reprimand, she roughly rolled up her sleeves, and then untucked her shirt. She shook out her arms, bouncing between her feet for a few seconds, before jogging after Anna. On a normal day she would have worried about sweating, but the school bell had rung just as she was exiting the building, signalling the end of the school day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She jogged quickly over to Anna, then slowed down to her pace to match the girls. The redhead stayed silent as she came up beside her, and Maren focused for a moment on matching her breathing for their pace. They were out of the way of any of the paths leading out of the grounds, but the sound of the children laughing and talking as they made their way out of the school still floated over to them quietly. The sun was still warm, making Maren wish she was wearing a skirt like Anna’s rather than her thick trousers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It took Anna one and a half laps before she finally spoke, huffing a little as she tried to keep her breathing steady. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do you want?” She asked, looking ahead still. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “To talk. You seem pretty upset about the Hans thing.” Maren kept her own eyes trained forward too, avoiding looking over so she didn’t feel pinned down. By now Maren had a pretty good idea of what made Anna tick. She was strong, and independent, always needing to be in control of the conversation, and as such she couldn’t be persuaded into talking. Maren had learnt that it was best to let Anna feel like she was giving her the information for the benefit of Elsa, or just because </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted to, so she didn’t feel like she was really opening herself up to being vulnerable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No shit.” Anna responded sarcastically, and Maren smirked. She could almost hear the rolling of her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     They ran for another quarter lap, before Anna suddenly stopped. Maren came to a halt as well, turning to look at Anna while taking a few deep breaths. Her face was wet with sweat, and although she was fit, and had managed to keep up with the redhead, running wasn’t her preferred form of exercise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Why is everyone the same?” Anna said, panting. Maren took a step closer, looking around quickly to make sure they were alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do you mean?” She replied, meeting the familiar eyes of the teenager. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans. My father, Mr Frollo, Vanessa… Everyone </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span> something.” Anna rubbed her face, squeezing her eyes shut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah,” Maren supplied, surprising Anna a little, “they do. But that’s not always a bad thing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You wanna know what </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> want?” Anna shot back, frustration flying out. Maren didn’t reply, waiting for her to continue. “I want people to pay for the things they do wrong.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She was angry, about far more than just Hans using her. It was understandable considering her history, but Maren was concerned about the other names on her list. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What have they done? The people you mentioned?” She asked, placing her hands on her hips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans was </span>
  <em>
    <span>nice</span>
  </em>
  <span>, okay. I wasn’t blind that he had some weird control over some of the boys but I thought it was just because he’s so rich. He used me for his own stupid agenda. Vanessa did the same thing to get close to Elsa. She was my music teacher for a year, but she only took the job because she wanted to sleep with Elsa and prove she was gay. She tried to blackmail my dad after but he actually didn’t care. Which is a surprise considering everything else she does with her life is wrong. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> only around because </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted to have some stupid affair. One of many I think.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna was on a tangent, obviously wrapped up in her emotions. Maren didn’t like the story about Vanessa, and made a note to try and talk to Elsa about it if they ever had the chance, but she was still curious about Mr Frollo’s part in all this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What about Mr Frollo? What did he do?” She took a step closer, and saw Anna shiver. It was still hot, and Maren’s brows twitched in concern at the reaction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “A couple of years ago there was a girl, Esmerelda. She was in her final year at the time. Mr Frollo… he had this </span>
  <em>
    <span>obsession</span>
  </em>
  <span> with her, it was disgusting. Elsa was her English teacher, and she went to her one day because she was genuinely terrified he would try to assault her. Elsa took her to the police but they didn’t do anything about it. He backed off when she threatened to expose him though.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren felt more than a little nauseous at the knowledge. It made Elsa’s decision to keep the Hans issue away from the police, and use the evidence differently, make a lot more sense. Better to have </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> results, than nothing at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’re right, </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> should have to pay. But not everyone is after something bad. People have goals, things that drive them, but not everyone is going to hurt you, or Elsa, or someone else to get to them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren could see the tears welling in Anna's eyes, but she fought them off. Anna was hurting, Hans’ betrayal bringing up all of the pain she had felt at the hands of others, or had witnessed others go through. She had no trust in others anymore, if she ever had much to start with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> want?” Anna said. They had both caught their breath, but the redhead still sounded choked up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I want to help you.” Maren said. Anna didn’t look satisfied. “I want to change the way the kids here are treated.” She said honestly, and Anna nodded slowly, looking down guiltily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry. I know I keep accusing you of things. I’m just not used to people... like you.” Anna said, waving up and down to gesture at Maren’s entire body. Maren raised an eyebrow, a small smirk forming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Poor? Un-couth? A pain in your sisters ass?” She joked, and Anna chuckled, shoulders sagging.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Honest.” Anna said, and it hit Maren harder than she was expecting. Because it wasn’t true. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh.” She said, battling against the sudden nausea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thanks for running with me. Elsa made me start running when I was annoyed so I’d stop hitting trees.” She laughed, and Maren joined in, having heard about that particular habit before. Maybe she also needed to start running.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna’s attention was captured by something over Maren’s shoulder, so she turned to have a look. Elsa stood leaning against the nearest wall, smiling. She looked decidedly more relaxed, happy even, and it was a beautiful sight to see. Realisation kicked her in the gut when she realised that she was stepping well over the lines of what a typical counsellor should be doing. Especially because all of her conversations with Anna were off the record. It was a much more personal, familial way of doing things, and for a moment she entertained the idea that perhaps that was something that could happen. Her and Elsa together, helping Anna become the fantastic woman she could be without the influence of her father. The blonde had a gentle longing expression, which made Maren wonder if she was having the same idea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa had come onto her as if in search of a booty-call, but her actions and expressions didn’t add up. With everything else going on in her life it made sense that she might not </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> anything more than sex, and was trying to ignore the other feelings she might have, the same way Maren was. The idea should have scared her, but it actually tempted her more. If Elsa really was avoiding her feelings too, then it was likely they could navigate her offer without it going too far. Or it would make it worse… one or the other.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for taking an extra two days for this chapter, I've been really busy and had to re-write a fair bit. </p>
<p>I've been reading a lot of the comments, and people are starting to differ on their opinions about whether Elsa or Maren will be the dominant one sexually. <br/>Hopefully you'll enjoy it either way, but comment on this chapter what you think she is. I'm curious to see who thinks Elsa is the top/bottom/switch.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 16</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>     It was unfortunate that Elsa’s week of teasing coincided with them needing to spend more time together. It made it so much harder to ignore her feelings when she was spending at least half an hour a day in her office, alone… The headmistress had taken to wearing clothing that was less revealing around the school, but always undid a button whenever Maren was in her office. She was surprised at first that the woman was comfortable acting the way she was considering the gravity of the situation they were dealing with, but Elsa didn’t seem nearly as nervous about it all as she did. No doubt because she was used to having to be crafty and underhanded with the board already.</p>
<p>     Elsa’s teasing didn’t lighten up in public either, and the teachers were actually beginning to express how sorry they were that she was having to suffer the `wrath` of the headmistress so much. The day after confronting Adam, the headmistress had caught her calling her brother in the halls on her way to make coffee. She had stopped her in the staff room and reminded her that protocol didn’t allow teachers to use phones in the presence of students. It would have annoyed her on a normal day, but the way she had spoken morphed the anger into lust. Her curt “I’m sure there are plenty of people here who <em> need </em> you much more than whoever is on the other end of the phone” had left Maren short of breath.</p>
<p>     Their weekly meetings were no longer necessary, but she had needed to drop off her report about Hans to Elsa, so she had popped in on Thursday morning. Elsa had stayed standing, taking the report and thumbing through it before turning away from her, bending at the hip to reach over the desk and pick up a pen. Usually, Elsa would have walked around the desk to get it, but she knew that Maren’s position gave her a perfect view of her behind. She had audibly groaned, which she was sure Elsa had heard considering the joy on her face when she turned back around. By the time she got to the staff room her face was flushed, and she was having trouble paying attention with the filthy thoughts going through her mind. Mattias and Rapunzel had been worried that Elsa had been unnecessarily cruel, but Ella had raised an eyebrow suspiciously. </p>
<p>     The next day Maren was late, after Anna had accosted her in the parking lot to talk about... Nothing important. It seemed more than likely that it had been a ploy to give Elsa a reason to reprimand her, as she called out after assembly, using phrases like “come on time”, and “get there before me”. The other teachers gave her pats on the back in sympathy, but they hadn’t seen the way Elsa had wet her lip suggestively, eyelids hooded, making Maren clench her thighs together. </p>
<p>     Something she <em> had </em> noticed, was that Anna had been hanging around both her sister and Maren more than usual. She hadn’t thought much of it at first, as she had agreed to help them build more of a case against Hans, but after her clear participation in Elsa's teasing she realised it was more devious in nature. Elsa was by no means shy, but her tactics were getting more obvious, and even <em> she </em> often ended up flushed with embarrassment. Her and Anna’s talk seemed to have finally pushed the girl to accept her as a valid suitor for Elsa, and now she was apparently all for the arrangement… much to Maren’s frustration.</p>
<p>     The weekend was no more relaxing than the days prior had been. She had been taking the edge off of her need to act on her desires for Elsa, but the images that formed as she did so only made her longing worsen. She didn’t know what Elsa would be like when it came down to it, but she couldn’t say she minded either way. Typically, her preference was to take control, to dominate and subdue her partner, but she wasn’t opposed to switching on occasion. Elsa was a strong minded, powerful and sexy, and they definitely butted heads sometimes. However, Maren had been with women like her before, smart, professional women with the weight of the world on their backs. In every case so far they had wanted to release that control in the bedroom, to feel free and unrestrained. Elsa’s issues with her father were the red flag that worried her. With her kind of sexual interests, and her line of work, she had learnt a lot about how abuse affects sexual development. There were so many grey areas, and too many uncertainties there for her to get a clear picture of what Elsa might want or need. But she was asking Maren to make the first move, to kiss <em> her </em>. She played dirty, acted tough, but she was asking to be taken, and it was submissive enough to send a wave of arousal through her every time she thought about it. </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Monday was the last day of Elsa’s teasing, and Maren was proud of herself for lasting as long as she had. The temptation had been incredibly strong, but so far she had been able to focus on their work and not let it get to her. After her traitorous thoughts of romance on the tracks, she had been very careful not to allow herself to get into that head space again, though the image of Elsa watching her with Anna so softly was something she was struggling to forget. Over the weekend she had seriously debated the pro’s and con’s of giving in to Elsa’s proposition, but no matter how many times she went through them she couldn’t make a decision.</p>
<p>     She hadn’t seen the headmistress all day, much to her surprise, so she was off guard when the end of day bell rang. Heading outside, something grey caught her eye in the parking lot, and Maren choked on her own tongue when she realised what she was looking at. Elsa was sat delicately on the hood of her car, chatting casually to Anna. She only bothered to bring her car if she had places to be after work, so the image of her sitting on the car would have had enough of an impact. Unfortunately Elsa didn’t do anything in halves, and had thrown a leather jacket over her low cut top. It was the grey one Maren had picked out for her, and it looked even better paired with the black skirt she was wearing. </p>
<p>     Maren paused in her steps for a second, and Anna noticed her, coughing pointedly to Elsa. When she turned, she actually looked a little nervous, and Maren could tell this was her final attempt. It was all or nothing. But damn did it have the desired effect. Her body responded violently to the sight before her, and when she finally got to her bike she fumbled and dropped her keys on the floor. She went to pick them up, but it made her phone fall out of her pocket. Swearing quietly, she slipped the keys into the bike, and turned to pick up her phone, only to come face to face with Elsa. Her body froze, and Elsa crouched down to pick up her phone, looking up at her from the lower angle for a second. Maren didn’t know if it was intentional, but her mind was so far gone that the visual of Elsa practically on her knees in front of her sent heat rolling through her. </p>
<p>     “Here.” Elsa said with a small smile after righting herself. She looked adorable, hair in a ponytail that was swaying delicately in the breeze. Anna’s smug grin from the car caught her eye, and she knew this must have been her idea. </p>
<p>     “Thanks.” Maren replied, voice noticeably lower than usual as she fought her natural response. </p>
<p>     Elsa didn’t say anything else, flicking her gaze between Maren’s eyes questioningly. It was obvious Anna had meant for the scenario to be sexy, and it most certainly was, but Elsa’s gaze was so soft. They were both aware that if Maren said no here, she would stop flirting, and that would be the end of it. </p>
<p>     Carefully, she lifted a hand to brush a strand of hair out of Elsa's face, and then brought it down to her collar. She smiled sadly, stroking a thumb over the leather. It really did suit her. Elsa looked down to her lips, and it was clear that she wanted to lean in and capture them, but she had told Maren it was up to her. Maren was grateful for that, because she wasn’t sure she could control herself if Elsa kissed her again.</p>
<p>     She swallowed, dropping her hand and turning to her bike. Elsa stood there, watching as she quickly threw on her helmet and climbed onto the vehicle, kicking it into life. Her chest hurt, and she stopped, glaring down at the handle bars as she thought about what she was doing. Rejecting Elsa was for the best… wasn’t it? </p>
<p>     Maren lifted her head, catching the shocked gaze of Anna. When she looked over to Elsa, the woman nodded once, in understanding. If there were no feelings involved then it shouldn’t have looked like she was in so much pain, but the truth of their emotions were clear.</p>
<p>     “Have a good evening Miss Nattura.” Elsa said calmly, and then turned to walk away, head held high. Maren let her go, allowing the woman to be in control of the interaction, but her eyes burned the second the woman's back was turned. Anna was staring at her, confused, and she must have seen the tears forming in her eyes. </p>
<p>Quickly, she flipped down her visor, and sped out of the grounds, leaving Elsa behind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Sitting on the edge of her bead in a tank top and shorts, she dropped her head into her hands. The clock by her bed read 3.42am, and she resigned herself to not sleeping. In the first half of the night she had tossed and turned, unsettled, but when the tears began to fall she found herself unable to stay under the covers. For a few minutes she had sat with her phone out, ready to call her brother and tell him she couldn’t do it anymore, but every time she tried she found her mind filled with the image of Oliver’s smiling face. </p>
<p>     Wiping away a wet trail from her cheeks she picked up the leaflet that was sat next to the clock, turning on the small lamp. As she stared at the piece of paper, a photo of Oliver placed prominently in the centre, her jaw clenched once more. The leaflet was a reminder of the memorial service coming up for his birthday. She had promised to go with Elsa, and was intending on holding up on her end of that bargain, but she couldn’t say she was looking forward to it. </p>
<p>     Maren ran her thumb over the photo, sighing. </p>
<p>     “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore Oli.” She said into nothing, and she dropped her head into her hand, careful not to crumble the page.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is kind of an in between chapter which is why its short and i'm uploading it early as an addition to the last one.<br/>The general consensus was that Elsa is a power bottom or a switch. There were about three people who said they saw her as a top, but the bottom/switch vote was overwhelming hahaha Well.... you'll find out at some point ;) </p>
<p>rainbowflavored_fiction - I was a little nervous about the slip in about Frollo because I didn't want it to be a main story point, just a slip in to add to the corruption of the people Anna and Elsa have to deal with. I'm glad you liked it! </p>
<p>Artemitena - Elsa at the end of the last chapter was the fluffiest babie, I enjoyed writing her having a moment like that. </p>
<p>Chuck_Vic_Norris - Yeah I've noticed you wondering about whether he would be homophobic before. I wanted to say he wasn't but I had to make you wait haha I wanted to leave homophobia out of this fic, I feel like it wouldn't have been a real issue for either of them. Not a big one at least.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: This chapter is NSFW. Please read in private!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 17</strong>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>     “I think I’ve made a mistake.” Maren slammed the doors to the music department shut behind her, turning to stare at the shocked face of Ella, who was arranging the chairs for the start of the school day. </p><p>     Maren had gone to work early, unable to hang around the house any longer without going crazy. She was running on nothing but coffee and two hours of sleep. </p><p>     “What?” Ella asked, eyes wide. She gestured to the chairs she was laying out, and Maren quickly walked over to sit on one, Ella joining her. The plastic was uncomfortable, so she perched on the edge awkwardly.</p><p>     “I think… I’ve made a mistake. A few actually.” Maren said, trying to sound calmer this time. She took a deep breath, rubbing her palms on her thighs. </p><p>     “Okay, explain?” Ella asked, frowning in confusion. </p><p>     “Elsa kissed me over the school break.” She said, noticing Ella’s mouth dropping open fractionally at the information. “She invited me in, but I said no, and she basically told me she would give me a week to decide if I wanted to be her booty call.”</p><p>     “Wow, okay. That's… a lot to take in.” Ella shifted on her chair, turning to face Maren more fully with a delicate chuckle. “So what did you do?” </p><p>     “I didn’t. I just let her go.” Maren rubbed her eyes with a finger and thumb, groaning. Going over and over the events hadn’t gotten her very far the night before, but her final conclusion had been that she couldn’t bear the idea of having Elsa so close, only to go back to the way it had been before.</p><p>     “And you wish you <em> had </em> slept with her?” The blonde asked, making Maren sigh.</p><p>     “No, I know I made the <em> right </em> decision. But I can’t get her out of my head, Ella.” She turned to look at the woman. Ella’s expression had turned more serious, and Maren knew that she was digging her own grave by admitting what she was to her. </p><p>     “Maren… That sounds like more than just lust…” She suggested, and Maren looked at the floor.</p><p>     “Yeah, I know it does.” It wasn’t an admission in so many words, but it was an acknowledgement. </p><p>     “Okay, so lets,<em> theoretically </em> , say you liked her more than sexually.” Ella said carefully. She was smart, knowing that Maren wasn’t going to confess anything out loud. “It would be a bad idea for you to sleep with her, for sure. But let's also say that, <em> theoretically </em>, Elsa had feelings for you too…” She gave Maren a knowing look, one that set her heart fluttering.</p><p>     “Then I definitely couldn’t do it.” She said, which made Ella frown. </p><p>     “Why not?” The music teacher asked.</p><p>     “Because I can’t… give that to her.” Maren’s brows knitted together in frustration. She didn’t elaborate, and Ella took a slow breath as she tried to comprehend it.</p><p>     “Okay… so you’re not romantically available right now?” Maren nodded once, wincing slightly. “Well…  neither is Elsa. You know what she’s going through, a relationship certainly doesn’t seem to be a top priority for her right now. The fact that she’s asking you for sex alone even though she has feelings for you kind of confirms that.” She paused but then quickly added, “<em> theoretically… </em>obviously.” </p><p>     “So neither of us would want it to go anywhere… Isn’t that… dangerous? She’s my boss, and I’m too involved in everything with her dad and Anna…” She was trying to give herself more reasons to not give in, but she wasn’t convincing herself let alone Ella. </p><p>     “Oh, I’m sure Elsa is more than capable of being your boss and, uh, giving you the benefits?” She pulled a face at the awkward way of saying it. “Listen, it's pretty obvious that one of you will give in eventually, you’re obsessed with each other. I can’t tell you if you should or shouldn’t do it, because I don’t know what's holding you back emotionally,  but I think you’re both already hurting from denying yourselves.” </p><p>     Maren leaned back against the chair, looking at the ceiling. </p><p>     “Would you pursue someone if you knew you were… like, moving to another country soon or something?” She shrugged as she said it, waving a hang in the air to show that it was just an idea and not what was actually happening.</p><p>     “Hmm… that depends. Personally I’m not opposed to long distance relationships, but I’m not sure that’s the point. So, In this situation I know that there is a definite end point to the relationship?” She asked, pulling her lip into her mouth in thought.</p><p>     “Yeah.” Maren nodded, watching the woman decide. </p><p>     “I would. I would be honest, but I’d rather have a short and intense love that I would remember, instead of regretting it forever.” Ella smiled, and Maren frowned deeply. </p><p>     “But, that would hurt both of you wouldn’t it?” She queried.</p><p>     “Relationships always run that risk, but that doesn’t mean they aren't worth it.” She explained, and Maren sat there quietly for a moment. Ella continued. “Maren, Elsa wouldn’t be offering this if she hadn’t already gone through these exact worries herself, trust me. She’s decided she can’t offer romance, but she wants to explore this anyway.” </p><p>     “And if she gets hurt?” Maren asked. </p><p>     “She’s a big girl, she knows the risks. Anyway, she’s the one wrapped up in all of the messed up power battles, did you ever think that <em> you </em> might be the one who gets hurt?” Ella countered.</p><p>     Maren stared blankly at her. She hadn’t considered it. The whole time she had flip-flopped constantly between her and Elsa being the good guy or the bad guy, but she hadn’t considered that they might <em> both </em> be in the grey area. It changed things more than she thought possible.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>     She knocked on the door to Elsa's office hard. Three short raps. Her heart was pounding, nerves and excitement swimming within her. The sound of the knocks echoed in the empty hallway, and she was glad that the only other rooms near Elsa’s office were the cupboards and Maren’s own office. First period had just begun, so she knew that no one would be around for a while. The door opened slowly, and Maren ran her eyes up the body of Elsa the second she was in sight. Her outfit was less revealing than it had been the week before, but she was as sexy as ever in her navy pencil skirt and blue shirt. She didn’t know if she would ever look at Elsa and not want to touch her in some way. </p><p>     “Miss Nattura?” Elsa asked, surprised, and Maren released a breath slowly. </p><p>     “Can I come in?” Maren asked, keeping her face passive. The woman paused for a second, unsure. Eventually she held the door open for her, allowing her to slip quickly inside. Elsa's perfume hit her as she walked past, and she held back a groan. She had spent so long ignoring the things Elsa did to her, and finally letting her body take control was almost too much. Her shoulders were rippling with energy, waiting impatiently for Elsa to click the door shut behind them. </p><p>     “What can I help yo-” Elsa said, turning, but Maren cut her off, crashing their lips together. </p><p>     She immediately brought her hands up to Elsa’s face, keeping her there for a second or two until the blonde’s body began to relax. When she felt Elsa move her lips in response, she released a bit of the pressure, allowing them to kiss each other properly. The paler woman’s hands came up to rest on her chest after a couple of seconds, and she moaned into Maren's mouth. The sound was music to her ears, and she pushed Elsa against the door, closing the distance immediately to press their bodies together. She needed to feel her, to have her pressed as close as possible, and she couldn’t wait to do it. Her brain was foggy with lust, the weight from before gone thanks to her conversation with Ella. She kissed Elsa passionately, the world around her fading away as she focused solely on the softness of her lips and chest. Elsa tried to curl her body into Maren’s, but she slid a hand quickly down to her hip, pressing it firmly against the wood, pinning her there with her own hips and hand. </p><p>     Elsa moved her head to the side, panting for air. She looked momentarily dazed, and Maren struggled to catch her own breath at the sight. She moved her lips to Elsa’s neck, kissing and nipping at the skin. </p><p>     “Ah!” Elsa’s hips tried to jerk against Maren’s despite being trapped, and Maren licked at the patch by her ear that had caused the reaction, desperate to make her do it again. </p><p>     “Fu- Maren, fuck, wait!” Elsa pushed against her chest, and Maren pulled back, lowering the hand by her head to hold her other hip. She kept their bodies together from the waist down, but distanced their faces, looking between Elsa’s blue eyes, dark from arousal. </p><p>     “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” Maren asked, worried that she might have been too forceful in her excitement. Elsa shook her head, trying to get her breathing under control. </p><p>     “You didn’t want this. What’s going on?” Her eyes strayed to Maren's lips, obviously struggling to be sensible. Maren’s mouth pulled up one-sidedly into a small smile.</p><p>     “I couldn’t get you out of my head. The idea of you going back to how it was before…” She shook her head. “I can’t do that. I want you too badly.” </p><p>     There was a short pause as Elsa searched for the truth in her words. They stared into each other's eyes, the air between them thick with lust.</p><p>     “Thank god.” Elsa said huskily, the words fading into a whisper as she tugged on Maren’s shirt to capture her lips once more. The movement was hungry, wanting, both women pressing hotly together, and panting between movements to avoid breaking apart. Elsa was the one to deepen it even further, slipping her tongue past her lips just enough to stroke Maren’s. It made her gasp, fingers digging into Elsa’s hips as her mouth tingled from the contact. She bit down lightly on Elsa’s lip, reveling in the way a hand shot up to grip at her neck, nails biting painfully into her skin. </p><p>     Elsa turned her head, reaching out behind her suddenly. Maren opened her eyes, following the movement, only to feel a wave of arousal hit her when she saw Elsa find the lock and click it, leaving them securely alone. </p><p>     “We don’t have long, half an hour max.” Elsa spoke breathlessly, and Maren smirked. </p><p>     “Office sex, kinky.” She winked, and Elsa raised an eyebrow cockily. </p><p>     “Oh I'm sure you can be kinkier than that Miss Nattura.” Elsa said playfully, earning a chuckle from Maren. </p><p>     She grabbed Elsa’s hand, pulling her away from the door and towards the desk. With a sharp push to her hip, she pressed the blonde’s backside roughly against the wood. Elsa tried to raise a hand to Maren’s face, but she grabbed it, not letting her try to fight for control. Ripples of energy worked their way through her, tensing her back and shoulders powerfully. She stepped in close, but noticed Elsa’s breathing was more erratic than she was expecting so early. Her brain threw a red flag up, and she loosened her grip, frowning slightly. </p><p>     “Are you okay with… this? Am I being too rough?” She asked cautiously. Elsa blinked herself back to reality, meeting her eyes. </p><p>     “No, I like it.” Maren studied her reaction for a second, wanting to be sure it wouldn’t trigger any kind of response. “I never associated any of my<em> issues </em> with sex, if that’s what you’re worried about?” </p><p>     Maren nodded, smiling, and Elsa let out a single chuckle at her concern. She was glad Elsa had picked up on her reason without her having to ask. Lowering their hands, she places Elsa’s on the edge of the desk, holding them there.</p><p>     “Okay. But the safe word is Topaz. Just in case.” Maren said, moving in closer to place a kiss on the corner of her mouth. The woman shivered, nodding. Maren felt her lips pull up into a small grin, and she leaned round to breathe against Elsa’s ear.</p><p>     “Say it back to me Elsa.” Maren spoke the words quietly, and Elsa’s breathing jumped.</p><p>     “Topaz.” She whispered back to Maren, who ran her tongue over the shell of her ear, moaning into it in reward. “Oh god…” Elsa panted. </p><p>     Maren felt Elsa’s hands tighten on the wood, and trailed both hands up her arms, fingers leaving what she knew would be burning tracks all the way from her wrists to her shoulders. Her mouth began to leave kisses over her slender neck, lower each time, and she let her hands find the first button of Elsa’s shirt. Aware of the limited time, she made short work of undoing the clothing, lips following her hands down the headmistress’ sternum and onto her stomach. </p><p>     Elsa rolled her hips forward, desperate for Maren to touch her, but she stood up straight once more, admiring the way her pale chest heaved. </p><p>     “I’ve wanted to do this since the first day I started.” She grabbed Elsa’s hips, pulling her a few inches away from the desk. “You’re a fucking tease.” </p><p>     She pulled Elsa’s hands away from the wood, then spun her around quickly. Elsa gasped, one hand reaching back to grab Maren's hip. She pushed her body against Elsa’s, enjoying the feel of her ass pressed against her front. </p><p>     “You’re easy to tease.” Elsa said with a chuckle, and Maren ground against her backside, pushing her off balance just enough to force her hands to grip the desk once again. She wouldn’t allow that kind of attitude to go unpunished. </p><p>     Maren reached around, slipping a hand into Elsa’s bra and squeezing the soft flesh with just enough pressure to feel uncomfortable. It was a show of power, proving that she was going to take what she wanted. It made Elsa push her chest out further into her hand, and Maren quickly moved in to nip lightly at her neck, earning a gasp. </p><p>     “You’ve been imagining this too, haven’t you?” She removed her hand, bringing both down to yank up Elsa’s skirt, bunching it around her waist. </p><p>     “Yes.” Elsa said, elongating the sound. Maren wasn’t sure if it was an answer to the question or just a response to her actions, but she took it as both.</p><p>     With one hand, she reached down to slip into Elsa’s underwear, breathing into her ear again. The second her fingers met Elsa’s heat she saw white, blood rushing through her body in sheer ecstacy at how wet she was. Maren ran her finger through it, speaking directly into her ear, voice filled with want.</p><p>     “I bet you’ve thought about me fucking you like this when you’re supposed to be working.” </p><p>     Elsa choked, bucking her hips into the contact, a slave to her own pleasure. Maren found her clit, starting work on it immediately, rubbing in small quick circles as she used her free hand to keep her hips pinned against her own. </p><p>     “I know I have.” Maren said, and Elsa moaned. </p><p>     The woman was building quickly, that much was evident from the erratic breathing and flexing of fingers around the desk. Maren could feel her own arousal pooling uncomfortably in her underwear, and knew she would suffer the same fate. </p><p>     After a minute of pressing hot kisses and bites to Elsa’s neck, she pulled her hand out of the woman's underwear, much to her frustration. With a hard push, she bent Elsa over, pressing her chest down into the wood with a hand on her back. Her hands released from the edge of the desk, sliding up to grip the other side instead. Maren smirked.</p><p>     She moved to the side, bringing her hand down to crack against the skin of Elsa’s backside before the woman could relax. She didn’t do it too hard, aware that too much noise would be a bad idea, but it was hard enough for Elsa to gasp loudly.</p><p>     “Ah! Fu-ck.” Elsa pressed her forehead into the wood, curling her back and pushing her lower body out further. It was the most erotic sight Maren thought she had, and would, ever see. </p><p>     Maren rubbed the area gently, before bringing her hand down once more, slightly harder. Elsa whimpered quietly, and Maren moved her fingers back between her legs. She pulled her underwear to the side, covering her fingers in wetness quickly before carefully sliding two inside of her. </p><p>     Elsa bucked back against her, mouth open and panting against the wood under her. Maren curled them a few times, wiggling them enough to get her adjusted. It didn’t take long, and she started sliding them in and out, making sure to curl a little on the way out each time. She was in awe at the sight of her fingers slipping into her so easily, shining with arousal. Bringing her other hand around Elsa’s front, she began to rub at her sensitive clit again, bending over her back slightly to get the best angle. </p><p>     Elsa’s moaning increased in volume, and she couldn’t help the groan that slipped out of her own mouth. </p><p>     “Be quiet.” Maren said gruffly, and then had an idea. Leaning forward as far as she could while maintaining pace, she chanced a potential kink. </p><p>     “Or do you get off on the idea of someone hearing you cum for me?” She knew that no one could walk in or see them, and she was keeping an ear out in case someone came past, but the idea of it was intense. </p><p>     Sure enough, Elsa whimpered, ears flushed red in excitement. Maren jumped on the sudden increase in arousal, quickening her pace and pressing down harder on her clit. The blonde clawed at the desk, hips jerking as she neared her peak at a rapid pace. Maren could see it coming, and realised almost too late that Elsa’s panting and moaning was growing increasingly louder again. </p><p>     As soon as she was sure Elsa was close enough, she replaced the hand around her front with the thumb of the hand that was curling inside of her. She reached forward, slamming her now free hand down over Elsa’s mouth, loving the way her slick fingers slid over the skin as she silenced her. The muffled cries were interspersed with choked sobs as Elsa crashed over the edge, whole body bucking and jerking with intense waves of pleasure. </p><p>     Maren kept up the motion for a few extra seconds, then slowed to a gentle thrust, stroking lightly over her clit to lengthen her orgasm. The blonde spasmed a couple of times, gasping when Maren removed the hand around her mouth. </p><p>     Elsa looked spent, legs shaking as she tried to catch her breath. Maren re-adjusted her pants, but left her where she was, taking a step back to admire the visual. She wasn’t sure how she could last with that image forever burned into her mind. She let Elsa gather herself enough to start to push herself up, and then stepped back in, gripping her by her hair and pulling her up fully. Their eyes met, and Maren felt her chest flutter for a second at the flush on her pale face, that spread all the way down her chest. She looked beautiful, but she wasn’t there to just admire her. </p><p>     Maren turned them around, so her own backside was against the desk, and Elsa was standing in front of her. Wordlessly, she reached down and undid the button of her trousers, pulling down the zip. She kicked off her shoes quickly, and Elsa got the idea, dropping to her knees. The blonde looked up at her, tongue wetting her lips as she pulled down Maren’s trousers, taking her underwear with them. </p><p>     “That’s right.” Maren whispered, hand wrapping into Elsa’s hair and immediately leading her forward, pressing her mouth between her legs. She parted her legs enough to let her work, knowing it wouldn’t take much. </p><p>     Elsa surprised her, diving in enthusiastically with an expert tongue. She choked back a gasp, gripping the desk as her boss held her calves, running her nails down them. Elsa moaned erotically into her heat, eyes closed, and Maren felt her stomach start to clench. The hand she had in Elsa’s blonde locks tightened automatically as the pleasure grew, Elsa’s tongue swapping between circling her clit firmly and running down to her opening to dip inside. </p><p>     When Elsa ran a hand all the way up her thigh to join her mouth, Maren thought she might pass out. Though her grip was tight on Elsa’s hair, she managed to pull away for a second to slip her fingers into her mouth, before running them between Maren’s legs and placing them teasingly at her entrance. She returned her mouth to Maren’s clit, sucking it briefly, and then slipped the first finger into her, curling it twice before following with a second. She didn’t bother thrusting, stroking her walls with one finger at a time in a curled scissoring motion. Maren moaned, thrusting her hips forward into her mouth and fingers. Elsa adjusted her position slightly, until she stroked firmly at a point that made Maren sob in pleasure and slam her eyes shut. She could feel it building through her legs and stomach, spreading out in waves of heat. </p><p>     When she opened them and looked down, Elsa caught her eyes, moving away an inch to gasp in a heated breath. She upped the speed of her fingers, quickly going back to work with her mouth, and whimpering into her as she maintained eye contact. </p><p>     Maren knew it was coming, but it hit her more forcefully than she had expected. Her eyes watered, and she had to screw them shut as pleasure burst through her entire body, drawing a loud sob out of her. Her hand gripped Elsa’s hair hard enough that it must have hurt, and her toes curled. </p><p>     Elsa pulled away to catch her breath, gasping in the air as she helped Maren come down with a few more curls of her fingers. Maren let go of her hair, leaning heavily on the wood. The room smelt thickly of sex, and she felt sticky with sweat. </p><p>     They stood after a moment, face to face, both women still flushed and a little out of breath. Maren pulled up her pants and trousers in one quick movement, and Elsa shimmed her skirt back down into position. The blonde went to button up her shirt afterwards, but Maren stopped her, stepping in close to take over. They weren’t dating, but Maren always made sure to make time to bring her partners back down to reality after a session. </p><p>     “Do you regret it?” Elsa asked when she was done, looking into Maren’s eyes with a subtle vulnerability. </p><p>     “No.” Maren said honestly. “If I’d known how good you were going to be at that I would have given in a lot sooner.” She mumbled as she turned Elsa around. </p><p>     “Did you doubt me?” Elsa chuckled, looking over her shoulder curiously to see what Maren was doing. </p><p>     “Of course not. But fuck… you’re… something else.” Maren smiled, picking up the hairbrush she knew Elsa kept in her top draw and returning to stand behind her. </p><p>     Elsa’s brows raised as she carefully pulled out her hairband, slipping it onto her wrist and running the brush through her platinum hair. Maren was aware it might not be something she was used to, but she knew that even a brief amount of intimacy was needed after what they had done. They didn’t have much time, and she wasn’t comfortable with cuddling or cleaning her up, but this worked well enough.</p><p>     “I give as good as I get. In many ways…” Elsa said, turning her head away and crossing her arms to allow Maren to work on her hair. </p><p>     “Oh yeah?” Maren quirked a brow, smirking. Elsa hummed.</p><p>     “Sometimes...” She spoke softly, head tilting back in enjoyment at Maren’s motions with the brush. She was glad Elsa was typically submissive, though she could see that there would definitely be an element of brattiness about her if they had more time. The idea that Elsa might want to try and dominate <em> her </em> was definitely arousing though. </p><p>     “I would be okay with that… sometimes.” She said, drawing the hair into her hand, putting down the brush, and slipping the band back around it. </p><p>     Elsa turned, and they smiled softly at each other. Maren automatically looked down to her lips, her body wanting to lean in and kiss her softly. But that was out of bounds. </p><p>     “About… this.” She started, but Elsa held up a finger, stopping her.</p><p>     “It doesn’t mean anything. We’re attracted to each other, and we’re doing something about it, that's all.” The words were almost convincing. </p><p>     “Okay, good. Because, neither of us are in a position to… you know.” She said, and Elsa nodded. </p><p>     “No, neither of us are open to… that.” They stood in silence for a few seconds. It felt weird, to stand here lying about their feelings after what they had just done. But that was the deal, and they were both agreeing to it.</p><p>     Elsa flicked her eyes up to the clock, and Maren followed her gaze. She would have a student showing up soon. With a sigh, she turned back to Elsa, stepping away and slipping her shoes back on. </p><p>     “I have to go. You should probably open a window…” She threw a wink at her boss, who rolled her eyes, face still flushed slightly. </p><p>     “Go do your job Miss Nattura.” Elsa wore a lighthearted smirk, making her way around to the other side of the desk. </p><p>     “Of course… Miss Winters.” She replied, giving the woman one final look, before opening the door and stepping back into reality.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>FINALLY. I hope you... enjoyed it???</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 18</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     “This is good, Kristoff.” Maren smiled at the boy, drawing a little smiley face on the corner of his Self-Esteem Journal. She had set him the task of filling in things that he did well and that made him proud each day, and they had been going over it during their session. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah, I actually feel pretty good about it. It makes me realise that I’m better at more things than I thought.” He ruffled his hair, grinning. It was nice to see him looking so happy, and she was sure that it wasn’t just her influence that was making him feel that way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I see Anna’s popped up twice?” She tapped the two times he had written about her with her pen, and the boy nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We’re still talking more than we were. She’s avoiding Hans now too, so I feel great about it all.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren tucked the journal away in her file, pulling out a second, slightly different sheet. She slid it across the table to him, turning it around as she did so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “This week, I want you to focus on things that make you feel independent. Any times you feel brave or particularly adult. Does that make sense?” He nodded at her. “You mentioned last week that you were nervous about finishing school. Building your self esteem will help that, but by really looking at how capable you are we can prepare you for it a bit more.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Kristoff nodded, fidgeting slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That would be great, thanks Miss Nattura.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She stood up as he tucked the sheet away in his bag, but a knock sounded on her office door suddenly. Kristoff stood, looking at her questioningly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you mind if someone sees you here?” She asked him, not wanting to make him uncomfortable by opening the door. It was probably Elsa, as she was waiting for a message from her, but it was better safe than sorry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No, go ahead.” He gestured to the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren opened it, and raised her brows in surprise when she came face to face with Anna. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh! Anna!” She said, and heard a slight squeak from her side as Kristoff saw her. The redhead looked at him, surprised, but then smiled brightly. Maren glanced at the sandy haired boy, holding back a snort of laughter at the dopey expression on his face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura, El-Miss Winters told me to tell you that Mr Isles will be arriving shortly.” The girl seemed happy, but the delicate bouncing on her heels betrayed the slight nerves that she must be feeling on behalf of her sister. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh,” Kristoff said, looking at Maren. “Is that today?” He asked anxiously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah, now apparently…” She replied, and Anna looked between them, confused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wait, you know about it?” Anna asked Kristoff. Maren didn’t say anything. Kristoff had asked to remain anonymous, and unless he explicitly told her otherwise she wouldn’t say anything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah… I was the one who told Miss Nattura about what Hans was doing.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yo- You’re the boy?” She asked, astounded, and he nodded. “Oh… that was really cool of you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Kristoff floundered for a second at the praise, and Maren felt her chest tighten in joy for him. She had never cared about other people's relationships, especially not those of teenagers, but Anna needed someone like Kristoff to remind her that people could really be trusted, and Kristoff so innocently loved her… she couldn’t help herself hoping for the best for their potential relationship.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It… is?” He asked, face flushing red in embarrassment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well yeah. From what I’ve heard, it must have taken a lot of courage to dob him in.” She smiled at Kristoff, and there was a curiosity to her gaze that suggested she was looking at him in a new way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “O-kaay, I’m going to go and see Miss Winters now. Have fun!” She ushered Kristoff forward, making him stand closer to Anna, who for the first time since she had seen her, actually looked a little shy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you… want to g-get some lunch? Together?” Kristoff stuttered out when Maren turned to walk away, and her face broke into a grin at his bravery. She was sure that would be in his journal next week. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah, sure.” Anna said quietly, and Maren clenched her fist, hissing in excitement as she mentally fist pumped the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She stepped into Elsa’s office with a huge grin on her face, which morphed into a sappy smile at the sight of the headmistress taping a pencil against her lip, glasses on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey.” Maren said, walking over to stand next to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey…” Elsa trailed off as she spoke, concentrating on something. It had only been two days since she had given in to her desires, but Maren felt better than ever. Elsa had kept things professional, while being slightly more relaxed around her in the privacy of her office. They hadn’t had a repeat performance yet, the meeting with Mr Isles taking precedence, but they had both given each other a few suggestive looks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Are you ready?” Maren asked, a wave of nerves suddenly hitting her as she pushed aside the thoughts to focus on her reason for being there, and Elsa sighed. She lowered the pencil, pressing into it repeatedly with her thumb in her usual manner. Maren had the urge to rub her shoulders, but restrained herself; it was a step too far. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m never ready for these sorts of things. But if you’re asking if I have everything prepared, then yes.” Elsa swirled her chair around so she was facing Maren, expression stern. Maren had been nervous since the whole situation had started, and had been working on pushing her anxieties to the side so she could do her job, instead of getting angry, when Mr Isles inevitably fought back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I think that’s the best we can ask for right now.”  Maren replied, feeling the tingling spread through her like a wave of icy water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa was breathing slowly, deeply, and although she didn’t look worried, Maren was aware that this was her headmistress facade on full display. The pressing of her thumb, the slow breathing, the way she kept her eyes trained anywhere except on Maren’s. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Miss Nattura,” Elsa said, and Maren waited expectantly as the woman thought carefully about her words. “Mr Isles is a volatile man. He can become aggressive verbally when he’s angry. Ignore everything he says to you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren nodded, swallowing thickly. The warning hit her hard, and suddenly she felt the same way she had on the first day in the school. Her lack of wealth, her upbringing, or lack there of it, would lose her credibility in the eyes of the elite. To them, she wasn’t good enough. Elsa met her eyes finally, and the words she didn’t say were expressed clearly through the soft connection they shared in that moment.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Elsa</span>
  </em>
  <span> thought she was good enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The door opened without a knock, and they both turned to see Mr Isles walk in looking stormy, a disgruntled Hans following closely behind. Elsa stood, clasping her hands together behind her back, pencil still firmly held, but out of sight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mr Isles, I’m glad you made it.” She said matter of factly. There was no pretence to her tone; she was in business mode. Immediately the air become tense, thick with the controlling auras of people ready for a fight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What’s the meaning of this? I don’t expect to be called into the school when an e-mail would have sufficed.” Mr Isles stood on the opposite side of the desk, hands crossed over his chest angrily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Please, sit.” Elsa said, and Maren pulled over an extra chair for Hans and herself. She positioned her chair next to Elsa's, close enough to show she was an active participant, but not close enough to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>close</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mr Isles, we have evidence that your son has been selling Adderall to students at the school for an extended period of time.” Elsa deadpanned, cutting to the chase. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     In all of her years working with children and families, Maren thought she had a pretty decent knowledge of how someone might respond to being told their child was a dealer. Shock, sadness, disbelief, anger at the child… Mr Isles caught her off guard with the immediate sneer that formed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He said, voice laced with disgust. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa took a deep breath, but then continued, seeming unfazed by his reaction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Several students have confessed to knowing about it, and we have witnessed and apprehended a sale.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Hans cringed as she said it, but kept his posture upright, not letting his reaction be too obvious. Mr Isles nose creased up, and Maren could see the cogs begin to work in his head as he tried to find a way out of the situation. He didn’t look at his son once, eyes trained on Elsa in challenge. She didn’t break her gaze either, and Maren was amazed at the strength of the woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So what? A couple of kids think he’s a dealer. Who witnessed it?” His gaze flicked over to Maren automatically, assuming her presence meant it had been her. The sneer he wore grew in size, pinning her to her chair. Part of her wanted to growl out a sarcastic reply, and the other part cringed internally, wanting to sink into the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I saw your son give a canister full of Adderall to a female student, and heard him ask her to deliver it to someone else.” Maren said without breathing, and Hans eyes widened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna?” He looked to Elsa, suddenly seeming sheepish. The headmistress raised her brows judgingly, and Mr Isles audibly grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You gave drugs to Miss </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fields</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” He turned to his son, livid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I… they weren’t for her!” Hans sank into his chair, the belittling tone his father sported clearly affecting him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “He’s been using the girls to deliver them to the boys.” Maren explained to Mr Isles, earning a huff of annoyance in response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So your </span>
  <em>
    <span>counsellor</span>
  </em>
  <span> saw something that </span>
  <em>
    <span>looked</span>
  </em>
  <span> suspicious. That’s not enough to go to the police with.” He said, voice far louder than necessary. He shot Maren a hateful look, quite the opposite of what she had seen when he was trying to get her on his side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa scoffed, and Maren could tell that it was a real reaction, not faked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Mr Isles, I know about your connection with the police, that would be pointless anyway.” She raised her brows in a derogatory way, and Mr Isles visibly tensed, hating the expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Why am I here then?” He asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa paused, wetting her lips in preparation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I didn’t actively go through the security cameras when this began, at the request of my father. However, with this new knowledge I decided to take a look, and I now have </span>
  <em>
    <span>visual </span>
  </em>
  <span>footage of the deal Miss Nattura witnessed, and of us apprehending the drugs. I’m sure there are several people, or companies, who would find that footage interesting.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     They had gone over this time and time again, making sure their plan was loophole free. The threat was to release the knowledge to companies Mr Isles had deals with, the police included, as well as the public, so they would have to cut ties at least temporarily with him to save face. It was a short term issue, as he would no doubt find a way to make the problem go away, but Elsa had informed Maren that Mr Isles was mid way through a major business deal, which would be impacted by any negative press. The timing couldn’t have been better. Maren had to admit that the ins and outs of Elsa’s plans went over her head a little, with contracts and finances and personal relations involved in delicate ways, but she trusted her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Is that a </span>
  <em>
    <span>threat</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Miss Winters?” Mr Isles bit out through gritted teeth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course not. I’m simply saying that it would be better if those people didn’t find out. Don’t you agree?” Elsa said, and Maren noticed a small twitch at the corner of her mouth. She may have been nervous, but she certainly seemed to get a kick out of the game she was playing with Mr Isles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “And what, pray tell, would prevent that from occurring?” The man asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hans will be expelled as school rules dictate, and you will remove yourself from the board. I will not accept any further funding from you, and your family will have no more contact with the school.” She spoke slowly, making sure each word was heard and understood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Mr Isles was furious. He stood up suddenly, pinning Elsa with a glare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “If you think you can get away with threatening me like this you have another thing coming. I’m sure your father won’t like hearing that his biggest supporter is being blackmailed by his daughter!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren frowned, and noticed that Hans did too. His words suggested knowledge of the way Mr Winters treated his daughter, which angered her, and Hans’ uncertain expression suggested he did too, but didn’t like it. Maybe there was hope for the boy after all.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “My father does not run this school. I do.” She said firmly, making Maren’s fingers twitch. She could see Elsa’s vice grip on her pencil, knowing that she didn’t entirely believe her own words, but her play worked wonders on Mr Isles. He grew even more flustered, pointing a finger at Maren.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You. Filthy orphan brat thinking you can come in here and accuse </span>
  <em>
    <span>my son</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I could </span>
  <em>
    <span>ruin</span>
  </em>
  <span> you if I wanted to, you-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa stood up, the sound of her chair pushing back capturing Maren's attention, before her voice commanded Mr Isles to silence himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mr </span>
  <em>
    <span>Isles</span>
  </em>
  <span>! That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She spoke loudly, but didn’t yell, eyes glaring irately into the man’s.  “Your bigotry is not welcome in this school. You have two options. I send the videos to your new business partner, and a number of other people, or I don’t and you and your family leave this school for good. It’s quite simple.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Mr Isles and Elsa stared each other down silently, the air crackling with tension. Eventually Mr Isles huffed, turning to grab his son's blazer and drag him to his feet. Hans looked suitably worried, and for a second Maren was concerned about what kind of wrath he might have to face. Mr Isles seemed like an aggressive man, but not physically violent. Elsa wouldn’t let Hans be in danger, she was sure of that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’ll regret this.” The man spat at Elsa, shooting Maren an equally disgusted sneer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The two men left quickly, and Maren wasn’t entirely sure what she had just witnessed. The door slammed behind them, and she flinched. Elsa stood still, silent, for several seconds after they had gone, prepared for any reappearance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Eventually, the blonde woman took a long, deep breath, releasing it slowly through her mouth. She let her head sink, and Maren was surprised to see a small smile form. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Did… that go well?” She asked the headmistress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes. I’m sure he will make sure to leave a whirlwind behind him, but that was an agreement.” She explained, making Maren pull her brows up and together in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It was?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa nodded, the smile growing sweet as she stared at Maren’s perplexed expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry you had to listen to him say those things.” Elsa apologised, and Maren laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I expected everyone here to feel that way about me, I can take it from one old man. I’m sorry I wasn’t much help.” She rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You did plenty.” Elsa leaned against the desk, her mask of professionalism slipping. Maren wasn’t sure if it was the glasses, or the fact that she had just watched her take down one of the most vile men she had had the misfortune of meeting, but she felt overwhelmingly attracted to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What?” Elsa said, and Maren realised she was staring. For a second, she tried to hide her thoughts, but then realised she no longer had to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’re sexy when you act tough.” Maren said with a smirk, and Elsa’s brows shot up in surprise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh?” The woman replied, taken aback.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mmm-hmm.” Maren hummed in confirmation, stepping in closer. She flicked her eyes over to the door, making sure no one was coming, before reaching out to slip a hand around Elsa’s waist to pull her closer. The women grinned, resting her palms on Marens hips. They paused there, both mesmerised by the other, until Maren swiftly leaned forward to place a purposeful kiss on Elsa’s lips. There was a passion to it that made them both sigh, the pair beginning to move slowly against each other. Marens hands wandered to Elsa's backside as the blonde’s slid around her neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren was the first to moan quietly, squeezing at the mounds under her hands. Elsa chuckled, but pulled away, making Maren trail after her, managing to attach her lips onto her neck instead. Elsa gasped, turning her head to give her more better access. They stumbled backwards into the bookshelves behind the desk, knocking something over with a quiet thud. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maren….” Elsa whined, trying to get her attention, but Maren just pressed their lips back together. Their breathing picked up as tongues met, sending a spike of arousal between Maren’s legs. It took a few more seconds before Elsa pulled away again, leaning her head back against a shelf, seemingly reluctantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You have your respite group.” Elsa said with a groan, and Maren stopped. She sighed, slumping her body against the headmistress’ and pressing her forehead into the crook of her neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Did I ever tell you that I hate you?” Maren joked, and Elsa laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m your boss. You’re supposed to hate me.” They separated, Maren fidgeting her legs uncomfortably against her arousal. “Maybe after work you could show me just how much?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa bit her lip, and Maren groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “3.15. My office.” She said, earning an excited nod from Elsa. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She wasn’t sure whether the impromptu make out was appropriate considering that both of them </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> that there wasn’t time for sex., but she just couldn’t stop herself wanting to kiss Elsa. She supposed that because it </span>
  <em>
    <span>led     </span>
  </em>
  <span> to sex eventually it kind of counted as extended foreplay…? Yeah, that worked. It wasn’t because she just wanted to have a reason to hold her and kiss her… not at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So... shall I tick off `turn on the fandom` from my bucket list? Some fantastic replies guys!</p>
<p>Mags - I wrote the first third of CD without any intention of posting it, so I never bothered to follow any writing rules. It's the equivalent of a doodle for an artist haha This is is unedited, so I know there are errors and things I could do WAY better, but i'm glad you think my writing has improved &lt;3 Also, the LinkedIn comment gave me a chuckle.</p>
<p>Firepos - I hope to at least put in a bit of Top Elsa, whether its a full scene or just a small amount I'm not sure yet. Ella is certainly one of my fave characters in this. She doesn't quite understand either woman's mindset, but she tries her best anyway. I love her haha</p>
<p>FuzzySandwitch - That was one of the key things I wanted to get across in that convo with Ella. That Elsa had actually thought about it seriously too. She makes decisions quickly and with conviction, but she definitely thinks them through thoroughly before deciding.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 19</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>     The memorial was the day after their confrontation with Mr Isles, and Maren had felt sick since she woke up. Fridays usually left her excited for the coming weekend, but there was an uncertainty to what would come after the service that scared her. Plus, having to be in the same room as everyone mourning Oliver would be incredibly difficult, and she wasn’t looking forward to another sleepless night. She stared at the message on her phone. `Good Luck, thinking of you`, it read, and Maren wished her brother could be here with her. They had spoken extensively about the memorial, and the event surrounding Hans and Mr Isles, but they both knew that she needed to do this without him. He didn’t know that she was going with Elsa, but she thought that was for the best.</p><p>     The evening air wasn’t cold as such, but there was a slight wind that made her draw her jacket tighter around herself . Elsa stood next to her, and they stared across the street at the five star hotel where people were gathering. It was incredibly fancy, and seemed overkill, but she was sure this was the norm for people with as much money as Oliver’s family had. Elsa certainly didn’t seem to find it odd, though it was clear that she was too busy trying to convince herself that she wasn’t a terrible person for showing up. </p><p>     Maren had worn a white shirt and skinny black trousers, finished with a black tie and her leather jacket as always. Elsa had donned a chiffon black shirt, tucked into a longer dark grey skirt. Her accessories were minimal, a simple necklace and bracelet, but for all of her usual elegance, it was her hair that kept drawing Maren’s attention. It was pulled up into a perfectly designed messy bun, with two small braids curling around the mass of hair, leaving a few strands down at the front to frame her face. The style made the headmistress look more like a princess, and Maren loved it. </p><p>     “Are you okay?” Maren asked the woman, noticing the way she was fiddling with the clasp of her clutch bag nervously. </p><p>     “Are you sure about this?” Elsa turned to look at her, not answering the question. </p><p>     “Honestly?” She paused, looking through the glass panels of the hotel and into the exquisitely designed function room the family had hired out. “No… but not because you’re here.” </p><p>     Elsa frowned, and Maren shook her head at the woman's confusion. </p><p>     “It’ll be okay, and we can go if you feel uncomfortable.” Maren followed up with.</p><p>     The blonde still looked unsure, and in the moment, Maren didn’t think, holding out a hand. Elsa looked at it, thinking for a second, before carefully slipping her palm into Marens. They both needed support, and considering the situation, she decided not to hate herself for allowing the moment of intimacy. </p><p>“Come on.” Maren smiled tightly, the act of happiness entirely faked. Her heart pounded in her chest at both the feel of Elsa holding her hand, and the knowledge of what she was about to walk into. They crossed the road together, hands still pressed together, but they both let go when they reached the door. Maren could hear music floating out into the street from inside, barely audible, a gentle violin piece from the sound of it. A supportive glance was shared as the doorman pulled open the glass to let them in, and Elsa led the way through to the function room. </p><p>     It was filled with people, more than she had expected. She knew most of the adults were there because of Oliver’s parents and not because they cared about <em> him </em>, but there were quite a few teenagers around which made her happy. He might not have had a lot of friends, but at least there were people who cared about him in one way or another. There was a table filled with unlit candles on one side of the room, and she could hazard a guess that they would all be lighting one later. A huge photo of Oliver was sat on another table, surrounded by other smaller ones, and a few personal items that must have meant something to him. She realised with a quick raise of her brows that the violin music was coming from a live performer, and she groaned loud enough for Elsa to give her a small smile. She seemed more than aware of Maren’s discomfort in upper class events.</p><p>     Maren led Elsa over to the table of photos, and they both looked over them in silence. It was hard to know what to say, or do. A particular photo caught her eye, and she stopped breathing. The music seemed to slow down and fade away, the light around her darkening until all her focus was on the small frame. Her eyes welled up, and she reached out a hand to pick it up. Elsa noticed the movement, watching her curiously as she swallowed the lump in her throat. A finger traced the edges of it, and for a second she swore she could hear the faint sound of a child laughing, his innocent excitement filling her with joy.</p><p>     “Maren?” Elsa asked, and she tore her eyes away, aware that they were filled with tears. The quiet music swelled back into life, and she blinked, unfocused, until Elsa’s icy blue eyes were clear.</p><p>     “What's wrong?” Elsa asked quietly, flicking her eyes between Maren and the photo.</p><p>     “I… took this.” She said quietly, the words coming out in a whisper. Elsa’s eyes widened, not understanding what she was saying. Maren turned back to the photo, focusing on her breathing. Oliver had been twelve at the time, and his hair was a scruffy mess, as it so often was at that time. The boy was grinning from ear to ear, holding a hotdog in the air triumphantly. The sun shone in his hazel eyes in the garden scene, making him squint. </p><p>     “You took it?” Elsa asked, voice curious. </p><p>     Maren put the photo back, fingers lingering as she fought the urge to keep a hold of it, and turned to look at Elsa, who was searching her face for an answer. </p><p>     “I knew him. I’ll explain later, but you should know that now, before we talk to anyone else.” Maren said, a cold sweat of nervousness breaking out over her body. She wasn’t sure how Elsa would react to the news, and it terrified her. The woman was certainly taken aback, but at the obvious grief in Maren’s eyes she seemed to give her the benefit of the doubt, nodding silently. Maren gave her a small smile, grateful. </p><p>     “Miss Elsa?” A voice spoke from behind them, and they turned, coming face to face with an old man with circular, gold framed glasses. </p><p>     “Mr Dickens!” Elsa sounded happy to see him. They shook hands, the contact lingering for longer than Elsa would usually allow. Both had a relaxed posture, and Maren could see they had a close bond in some way.</p><p>     “It’s lovely to see you here, I wasn’t sure if you would come.” He said, voice warm and kind. There was a kind of old fashioned charm to the man, though she couldn’t say she was a fan of the moustache he sported. </p><p>     “I wasn’t sure either, but Miss Nattura here persuaded me.” Elsa said with a small smile, making Maren’s brows shoot up at the honesty. </p><p>     “Ah, well then I thank you. Charlie Dickens.” He shook her hand, and Maren shot Elsa a slightly confused look. She chuckled quietly, and quickly explained. <br/>     “Mr Dickens is my father's accountant. He’s worked for the family for… around twenty years?” She looked to Charlie for confirmation and he nodded. </p><p>     “Yes, I watched young Miss Elsa here grow up.” He sounded fond, and it warmed Maren’s heart to imagine Elsa having someone like him around. </p><p>     “He came over every week. Always bought Anna and I chocolate on special occasions.” Her lips threatened a childish grin, but she kept herself restrained, as usual. </p><p>     “Every week? Surely that’s more than necessary for an accountant?” Maren asked, quirking a brow up. </p><p>     “Her father is rather… particular... about his finances.” He pulled a face at the words, and Maren caught the quiet scoff Elsa let out. </p><p>     “Mr Dickens is Oliver's grandfather.” Elsa explained, searching Maren’s face once more, hoping for some kind of reaction. </p><p>     “Oh! I see…” She felt immediately uncomfortable, not knowing what more to say. The surname did sound familiar, and she could just about remember it being Oliver’s mother’s maiden name. </p><p>     “I’m sorry, what was your name again?” Charlie asked, frowning at her. She clenched her jaw, panic setting in.</p><p>     “Maren Nattura.” She said breathlessly after a beat, heart pumping anxiously. Her hands trembled slightly as his eyes widened in recognition. “It was nice to meet you sir.” </p><p>     Maren fled quickly to the bar, taking shallow, panicked breaths as soon as she was leant on the marble surface. The bartender appeared before her and she ordered a bottle of beer, un-surprised by the open bar. Elsa was driving, but the hotel was near enough to her home to walk, so she grabbed the bottle wordlessly, taking a large gulp to calm herself. A hand pressed against the small of her back, making her flinch, and Elsa appeared next to her. </p><p>     “Are you okay?” She asked, and Maren stared at the bottle, turning it back and forth on the bar. </p><p>     “Yeah, sorry. How are you?” She swallowed her nerves down with another swig of beer, turning her attention back to the blonde. </p><p>     “I’m… okay. There have been a few looks, but no one seems too bothered by me being here. I just have to navigate talking to his parents next.” She said with a sigh. Maren looked around; she had been too wrapped up in her own issues to notice that they were indeed getting a couple of odd stares. It angered her to think that anyone here would honestly blame Elsa for having anything to do with Oliver’s suicide, before realising her own hypocrisy, for hadn’t she harboured that same accusation before she’d gotten to know the woman? </p><p>     Maren hummed, knowing she also had to navigate the awkward conversation with Oliver's parents. She scoured the room with her eyes, finding the couple near the middle of the room. In an ideal world, she would avoid them forever, but Elsa needed this, and if she was honest… so did she.</p><p>     “We can do that together. Come on.” Reluctantly, she pushed herself away from the bar, taking a slow breath. Elsa met her eyes nervously, not convinced. She smiled at the woman, and began leading the way. <em> Act now, think later. </em>She told herself, pushing aside every doubt and fear she was battling.</p><p>     “Nancy?” She said when she was beside the taller redhead, capturing her attention. As she turned, the man beside her turned too, and Maren froze under the gaze of the two people she had been avoiding for the past couple of months. She felt the blood drain from her face, her breath catching in her throat. </p><p>     “Maren?” Nancy’s face lit up at the sight of her, eyes filling with tears almost instantly. </p><p>     “Hi?” She squeaked out, and Nancy suddenly lurched forward, pulling her into a hug. Maren stood still for a moment, confused, but then slowly brought her hands up to wrap around her. </p><p>     “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here!” The woman choked out, and Maren could feel the slight shaking of her hands. “Thank you for coming!” </p><p>     “I wouldn’t miss Oliver’s birthday.” She smiled awkwardly, slowly retracting her arms and pulling away. </p><p>     “How have you been?” Kim asked, patting his wife on the shoulder and smiling lightly at Maren. </p><p>     “Um, good... ?” She cocked her head to the side, not really sure about her answer. </p><p>     “Good, that’s good.” Nancy looked tired, as you would expect someone to look after their son had died. There was a tense silence between them, and Kim looked behind her, eyes landing on Elsa. </p><p>     “Oh, Miss Winters!” He said, and Nancy looked at her in surprise too. Maren moved to the side slightly, allowing Elsa to take a step forward to stand next to her. They were closer than they would usually allow in public, but the situation called for it. </p><p>     “Mr Company, Mrs Company.” She nodded politely to them, and Maren had the strongest temptation to reach out and grip her hand. She didn’t, but she wanted to. </p><p>     “It’s nice to see you.” Nancy said, and Maren could tell she was sincere. Elsa didn’t seem to believe her though, wincing slightly at what she thought was a lie. </p><p>     “I… just wanted to express my condolences.” She said uncomfortably. </p><p>     Nancy reached out to her, laying a hand on her arm. Maren saw her tense, but she allowed it.</p><p>     “I’m so sorry that you were set up to take the fall. It was entirely uncalled for.” Oliver's mother said, and Maren smiled a little at the shock on Elsa’s face. </p><p>     “I-” Elsa stopped, not knowing what to say. “I’m sorry I didn’t do more.” She said, and Nancy teared up.</p><p>     “No darling, it’s not your fault, we know that. My father has said nothing bad about you in all the years he’s known you, I know you would have done your best.” </p><p>     Elsa nodded, her breathing picking up slightly as she fought off the emotions she was feeling. </p><p>     “How do you two know each other?” Kim asked curiously, scratching at the black, trimmed stubble on his face.</p><p>     “I work for Elsa at Arendelle Academy now. As the school counsellor.” Maren said, meeting his eyes. She hoped they approved.</p><p>     “That’s fantastic! Oh, I’m sure you’ll do such a good job there!” Nancy’s face brightened at the idea. There was a constant threat of tears in her eyes, but it was obvious she was trying to be positive. “She’s fantastic isn’t she?” She directed the question to Elsa, who was caught off guard. </p><p>     “Yes.” Elsa turned to look at her, and they exchanged a silent communication. It was a promise to explain, and an exchange of support. “She’s certainly helping me change things for the better.” </p><p>     The couple smiled, and Maren could only assume they were happy that some good had come from their son's death. Charlie appeared just behind them, smiling delicately at the two of them. She felt more than a little put off by his watchful gaze, something about the man’s knowing eyes managing to both calm her and make her fidget all at once.</p><p>     Someone came over and whispered something to Kim, and they excused themselves to organise the making of a speech. Maren and Elsa waved them off, moving over to stand at the edge of the crowd by a wall. Maren leaned against it, bending one leg to rest heavily against the surface, finishing her beer quicker than she’d have liked. People were milling around, talking as if at a business meeting, and it made her sigh in frustration. They stayed there through the speeches, silent, until Kim directed everyone to light a candle in Oliver’s memory. </p><p>     Elsa was clearly uncomfortable, and Maren was stressed and emotional, so she gestured in the direction of the door. </p><p>     “Do you want to leave? I think we should talk.” </p><p>     “Yes, I think that’s for the best.” Elsa replied, looking around. </p><p>     They snuck out quietly and quickly, dodging through the mass of people and out onto the street. </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>     Elsa unlocked the front door silently. They had been mostly quiet for the drive back to Elsa’s place, Maren staring absentmindedly out of the window. Normally she would have been admiring the luxurious interior, or gawking at how hot Elsa looked driving the vehicle, but she wasn’t in the mood. It didn’t feel right to talk on the street, so Elsa had quickly offered to take her back to hers to talk, which she appreciated. </p><p>     When the lights clicked on she was finally pulled out of her misery, looking around the inside of Elsa’s house in awe. It was beautiful, and just like the exterior, it was a mix of both sides of Elsa’s personality. There were expensive features all over the place: an elaborate grandfather clock, a large wooden sculpture of a horse covered in a blue resin that looked like water, a glass chandelier hanging in the centre of the living room. But alongside those things were more personal items: A photo of Anna and Elsa with their parents in pride of place, a book laid open and face down on the coffee table, a pair of shoes and a coat thrown haphazardly by the glass door at the back of the house. It was surprisingly open plan for the type of house, with the kitchen diner mostly visible from the living room they had stepped into from the front door. There was a wide corridor leading off from the room, and Maren couldn’t help but wonder what else they even needed other than a bathroom and a bed. </p><p>     “Would you like a drink?” Elsa asked, closing the door behind them and making her way into the kitchen. “I do have a beer? Or tea? Coffee?” </p><p>     “No, thank you” She said, slipping off her shoes. Elsa still had her heels on as she slipped off to hang up her coat, but Maren didn’t want to risk making a mess on the carpets, she didn’t know how much they might have cost. When she moved to the sofa and sat down she groaned loudly, sinking into the plush material. </p><p>     “Wow…” She said, closing her eyes and flopping her head back. “Amazing.” </p><p>     She heard a chuckle, and opened her eyes, embarrassment flooding through her as Elsa appeared next to her.</p><p>     “It's a good sofa, isn’t it?” Elsa said with a smile, sitting down next to her, but not too close. Maren pushed herself up to sit straighter, turning to face the woman. </p><p>     “You have good taste.” She laughed, but it was laced with nerves. </p><p>     They sat silently for a few seconds, Maren avoiding meeting Elsa’s eyes.</p><p>     “I-” She played with the zipper of her jacket, thinking. “I don't know where to begin… Did you ever read my resume when I started working for you?” She finally looked over into Elsa’s eyes, seeing her frown at the question. </p><p>     “I did. Why?” She replied.</p><p>     “My last job. I worked as a social worker of sorts, for the orphanage Ryder and I were in as kids. It’s where Oliver lived before he was adopted by Nancy and Kim.” Maren explained, trying to keep it as matter of fact as she could.</p><p>     “Oh!” Elsa’s eyes widened in understanding. “I knew Oliver was an adopted child, but I never looked into his back story.”</p><p>     Maren nodded, continuing. </p><p>     “Oliver was taken to that facility about the same time I started working there. He was only ten at the time.” She felt a smile tug at her lips in memory. </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>      “Hey.” Maren said softly, dropping down into a crouch to talk to the boy in front of her. He was so tiny,  from both malnourishment and curling into himself in fear. The boy didn’t reply, and wouldn’t meet her eyes. He looked so sorry for himself, hands quivering anxiously.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>      “This place is pretty scary right?” No reply. She heard a grumble sound from his stomach. “You know, the chef often leaves out extra food in the kitchen after breakfast… if you want we can sneak away and eat it?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>      The boy looked up cautiously, lips pursed. She smiled warmly, making sure to stay very still. After a moment he nodded once, making her smile widen. It was only her first week, and she had to admit she felt about as nervous as this little boy looked.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>      “Come on then.” She led the boy to the kitchen, happy to see that she wasn’t wrong about there being left over food. There were a couple of sausages cooling down on the side from breakfast, and she grabbed one, grinning when she saw there were still some hot dog buns left from the night before. She slipped the sausage into it, and handed the makeshift hotdog to the boy, crouching again.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>      He stared at it, not seeming to know what it was she had handed him. Nibble after nibble, he slowly worked his way through half of it, before looking into Maren’s eyes. His were a golden brown, and she knew that after a shower and a good night sleep, he would be a very sweet little boy.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>      “What’s your name?” She asked. Her boss had taken her aside and explained how he had been found alone on the streets with no parents around, but so far no one had gotten him to speak.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>      “Ol-ver” He spoke so quietly she almost didn’t make out the name.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>      “Oliver?” She repeated, and he nodded. “Okay, Oliver, how would you like to get cleaned up?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>     “So he was your first proper case?” Elsa asked. </p><p>     “Yeah. But he was special. My job was just to supervise the adoptions, make sure the kids were settling in to their new homes, and just do general well-being checks on the kids in the orphanage. Oliver really struggled to get adjusted, so I took a much more hands on role in his care. He was kind of like a little brother to me for a while. I was fresh out of uni so I hadn’t learnt how to keep a professional boundary.” She chuckled. “Not that I ever did learn that mind you… look at us.” </p><p>     Elsa laughed too, but both women sounded sombre. “Sometimes you have to break a few boundaries.” She said, and then waited patiently for Maren to continue. </p><p>     “I’m not entirely sure what changed for him, but one day he just laughed at a joke this kid made, and after that he brightened up massively. I did a lot of work behind the scenes with him. His school grades were massively below where they should be, so we had the older kids tutor him the whole time he was with us, and he had serious issues with ptsd and depression. We didn’t let people enquire into fostering or adopting him until we were sure he was more stable, but he improved really quickly. Two years later he was just like every other kid.”</p><p>     Maren frowned, the heart of the issue playing on her mind. She had gone through every detail she could remember about Oliver, trying to find out what she had missed, but nothing explained it. </p><p>     “When the Company’s met him it was a dream come true. A rich, kind couple, with another adopted son who seemed to be doing just fine. What more could you ask for? Oliver was shy, but they made the effort with him and he ended up wanting to live with them. He was so excited.” </p><p>     Maren smiled, looking up at the ceiling. Her eyes were wet.</p><p>     “We- <em> I </em> did everything. I checked <em> everything </em> . He was happy with them. They treated him well, he liked his brother, the house was… <em> great </em> . I visited every week to start with, then once a month for the first year. When I was sure… I was <em> sure </em>… then I let the new agency take over the visits. I didn’t want to but it’s standard practice. I was supposed to pass off after the six month mark, but I waited.” </p><p>     Maren’s breathing picked up, and she felt the tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. </p><p>     “I keep wondering what-” Her voice caught, and the first tear slipped out. “What I <em> missed </em>. Because I must have missed something, or he wouldn’t have killed himself.” </p><p>     She brought a hand to her face, screwing her eyes shut as she choked on a sob. </p><p>     “I thought… it had to be the school.” She bent over, hunching her shoulders as she kept a hand pressed firmly over her face. Her voice was thick with emotion, but the bite she had used to talk about the school when the idea had first hit her after the event was now missing. “The school was the only thing I had no control over. The papers were saying that there was no help available for the kids, and I needed someone to blame because-” She tried to breath through the racking of her chest, the sounds coming out as wet gasps. “Because if it was the school then It wouldn’t be <em> my </em> fault. I wouldn’t have his death on my hands.”</p><p>     Maren felt a hand slip around her shoulders suddenly, and she let herself get pulled into Elsa’s arms. Her tears fell fast and hard, the emotion she had been holding back came tumbling out all at once. Elsa guided her head into the crook of her neck, stroking her hair comfortingly. </p><p>     “It’s not your fault. You didn’t miss anything. Oliver had a lot of problems, you said that yourself, and you did your best to help him through them. You gave him his <em> best </em> chance.” </p><p>     Elsa held her while she sobbed, placing gentle kisses on her head every now and then. It made her feel safe, and cared for, even if it wasn’t entirely true in the way her brain was pretending it was. </p><p>     Eventually the tears dried up, and Maren sniffed. When she pulled away, Elsa met her eyes, unashamed of the wet trails down her own cheeks. She didn’t feel the need to apologise, but she wanted to do <em> something </em>. They were so close, one of Maren's hands still wrapped around her, and Elsa hadn’t removed her own arm from its resting place over her shoulder. </p><p>     As if under a spell, they inched forward, eyes slowly sliding closed as their lips met delicately. They were barely touching, the pink skin brushing so softly that it almost didn’t feel real. When Elsa pressed slightly closer, sealing the kiss fully, she sighed into it. It felt different to kiss her like that. There was no electric heat, Maren’s body filling with a warm tingling instead. Her mouth moved of its own accord, opening slowly to kiss Elsa’s bottom lip properly. The saltiness of their tears combined on their lips, adding a depth to it that was unexpected, and breathtaking.</p><p>     Elsa raised her hand to stroke down the side of Maren’s face, holding it there carefully. Maren cupped the woman's waist in return, moving her body slightly to allow her to kiss Elsa with more purpose. She wasn’t entirely aware of what she was doing, but she found herself pushing Elsa slowly down onto the sofa, until she was propped up half on top of her, their lips staying ever connected.. </p><p>     “Elsa…” She heard herself whisper, the name holding more weight despite the way it floated between them. </p><p>     The kiss deepened, but stayed slow and gentle. Maren’s heart was beating hard, as emotions she had suppressed sneaked their way into her chest. Her mind was filled with feelings for the woman under her. Elsa had supported her, even though there was an element of blame in her words about the Academy. Elsa had made her somehow feel welcome there, putting her headmistress facade at risk by doing so. Elsa was taking beatings from her own father just to help the kids at her school. Elsa was raising Anna, and doing her best . Elsa liked to read, to play the piano, and she got a kick out of fighting back against the board. </p><p><em>      I would do anything for you... </em> She thought, and her chest contracted suddenly at the realisation. It felt nice, being filled with such a tender emotion. She kissed it into Elsa’s lips, but her brows started to draw together as she came to terms with what that meant. </p><p><em>      Oh no… I’m falling for her. </em> </p><p>     She pulled away from Elsa suddenly, eyes wide in shock. Elsa fluttered hers open, still swept up in the moment, and Maren could <em> see </em> the intensity of the woman's own feelings in the glazed look she wore. </p><p>     Maren pushed herself away, standing up. </p><p>     “I… I need a minute.” Her voice cracked as she spoke, and Elsa came back to reality at her words, looking panicked. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, and Maren knew she had to go before Elsa could stop her.</p><p>     “Maren wai-” She said, standing up too, but Maren stopped her. </p><p>     “Please. I just… I need a minute Elsa.” She begged Elsa with her eyes, and the woman nodded. She could see the way Elsa swallowed thickly, eyes glossing over, but she turned and headed to the door, opening it quickly and stepping outside.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oliver! My heart broke a bit writing that...<br/>I feel kind of bad that you didn't get to SEE the 3.15 scene, but don't worry, you'll get another one soon ;)</p><p>L.A. - The Kristanna scenes are some of my favourites, they are just so sweet!</p><p>Margaux Charrière - Yeah... Mr Winters will be showing up soon...</p><p>AHappyPup - Authority is sexy! Especially when the person is actually really soft outside of that role.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 20</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     The air was still and silent, as if waiting for her to make a decision before continuing on with the evening. Time seemed to have stopped, the darkness of the night having descended upon her arrival to Elsa’s house, leaving her to stare out at the empty grounds. They looked endless, fading into black where the trees and bushes met the rest of the world. It seemed poetic, but she felt for a moment as if she was in a snow-globe, and looked up towards the stars half expecting to see a flurry of white appear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     When nothing happened she sighed, all to aware of the warm glow behind her, filtering out of the house where Elsa was still probably sat in the same place, confused. Her mind was waging a war with itself, arguing incessantly over which path to take. The path she </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> on wasn’t viable anymore; she couldn’t hurt Elsa and stick around to watch the downfall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     In front of her laid one path, where she would walk away from Elsa and Arendelle Academy to follow through with what her and her brother had wanted. She rolled her eyes at how dark and lonely the road away from Elsa’s house looked, the metaphor not lost on her. The second option was to turn back around and go to Elsa, walking away from her plan and trying for something real with the woman she was falling for. She could </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> the warmth on her back, and threw a glance in the direction of the front door. She had left it slightly ajar, and it welcomed her back inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Where’s a map when I need one?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Maren thought, looking back up at the sky. It took a conscious effort to turn off the voices in her head, breathing deeply until a cool calm washed over her. Her shoulders sagged, arms hanging loosely at her side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa had lessened the weight of her guilt over Oliver’s death, but his absence still pained her. She missed him. It was as simple as that. His innocent, honest smile would never leave her, but the idea that she would never see it again didn’t compute. Part of her had hoped that if she found a way to place the blame, and took down whatever had pushed him to that point, then it might bring him back. It was silly, and she had spent years learning how to help people going through grief worse than hers, but it didn’t change how it </span>
  <em>
    <span>felt</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Logic doesn’t work against raw emotion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     As far as she was aware Oliver had never been in a relationship. His social skills hadn’t gotten to the point of navigating romance very well, but she knew he would be similar to Kristoff had it ever happened. The thought made her smile, and a memory came back to her suddenly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Maren?” Oliver asked, leaning over the table on his crossed arms. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     She hummed in reply, tucking her documents away in a folder in preparation to leave. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Do you have a girlfriend?” He asked, looking at her with wide, curious eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Marens brows shot up. She had mentioned once that she liked girls, after one of the other kids had joked about it, but Oliver had never had any interest in relationships before. He was fidgeting in his chair as always, legs probably kicking out under it while his weight was on his forearms. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “I don’t… What made you ask that?” She prompted, slipping the folder into her bag and standing up, taking a step forward to lean on the table next to him. He moved again, never quite comfortable, slipping his knees under him to sit up taller and stare at her. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Kim brought Nancy flowers the other day.” He said, and she smiled. The couple seemed very happy and stable; it was a good influence on him. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “That was nice of him.” Maren smiled, and Oliver’s face lit up at the reply. It was a curious response, as if he had been waiting for permission to be happy about it. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Nancy made him his favourite dinner when he was sad too.” Oliver gifted, waiting once more for her reply. She couldn’t hold back the grin. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Sweet.” Once again he brightened, and then got down from his chair to scurry out of the room. She made to follow him, not sure what she had said to prompt his departure, but he was back in an instant, a single flower in hand. It was dripping with water, obviously stolen from the flowers Kim had given Nancy, and he thrust it out in front of him. He sported a deep frown, not seeming to know quite what he was doing. At almost thirteen, a child should have grown out of directly copying the actions of their parents, but for Oliver it was a good sign that he was starting to develop better social abilities. His parents had let her know that he wasn’t good at making friends, unable to understand typical social cues, and due to his lower academic skills he had been enrolled to start school in the year below other students his age, to give him time to catch up. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Is this for me?” Maren asked, bending down on one knee. His growth was certainly stinted from his previous malnourishment, his height below that of other kids his age. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Oliver frowned deeply, his arm dropping an inch in uncertainty. He stared at the flower, but then looked up at her, nodding once. Maren’s chest throbbed in happiness, face breaking out into the biggest of grins. She reached out to take the flower, noticing how intently he was studying her reaction. He was trying so hard to understand.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Thank you!” She said, making her joy as obvious as she could to help him out. “That was really nice of you.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     His face softened, and then broke out into a childish grin. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “What made you do that?” Maren asked, reminding herself to make a note of this in the file later. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Nancy was happy when Kim gave her the flowers. You don’t have a girlfriend to do those happiness things for you. So I did one. I’m not a girl though so I didn’t know if you’d like it.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Maren chuckled, realising just how little he actually understood relationships and what they meant. It was something she would have a word with his parents about on her way out. He seemed to be under the impression that a partner was just someone who did nice things for you and stuck around. Which wasn’t un-true, but it lacked key parts like age, attraction, love, sex… </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Well, I love it. Thank you.” She said. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “When you do get a girlfriend, can I meet her?” He asked, surprising Maren once again. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Sure kid. But why?” It seemed like an unusual request. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “Nancy said… that Kim is good for her. I want you to have someone good for you… like Kim. Then you will be happy like Nancy.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     He still looked confused, like he wasn’t really sure </span>
  </em>
  <span>why</span>
  <em>
    <span> they were good for each other, but he obviously liked romance, and wanted her to experience that. She sighed, and ruffled his hair, earning a small laugh. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     “One day…” She said, and his eyes lit up. He seemed so excited by the prospect of her being in a relationship. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Oliver wanted her to be happy. He wasn’t going to come back. Putting the blame on the school wouldn’t solve anything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Those three thoughts ran through her head over and over until she came to a decision. Light shone in her mind finally, illuminating the path she needed to take. It made her nervous, but she knew with a sudden certainty that it was the right decision to make. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She pulled out her phone, face neutral as she navigated her way through to her brothers contact, clicking call. Turning, she looked at Elsa's house, eyes drawn to the thin glass panels on either side of the front door. As the phone rang she caught sight of Elsa, head in her hands on the sofa, looking miserable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey Maren.” Her brother's voice sounded, and she could hear the concern in his voice. “How are you feeling?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I feel... better than I have done in a while.” She smiled smally at the honesty in her own words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “That’s good, I was worried for a while that may-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Ryder?” Maren interrupted him, knowing what she needed to say. He stopped, and she could visualise him cocking his head in curiosity as he waited for her to continue. She took a final few seconds to think through her decision, but when she finally spoke it was with a certainty that she hadn’t felt in months. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m out. I can’t do this anymore.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Ryder was silent for several seconds, before finally replying. “Why?” Maren could hear the understanding in the lighthearted solemness of his tone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m falling for Elsa.” She said, and Ryder sighed loudly, sheets rustling over the phone as he presumably laid down on his bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I should have guessed…” He said with a quiet groan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting it.” She ran a hand through her hair, fingers getting caught on a knot for a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Does she feel the same?” Ryder asked, and Maren was grateful for him being so kind. He was still putting her emotions and well being before everything else, asking the questions </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> needed before the important ones. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t know. The day you met her we kissed and she propositioned me, I just didn’t want to tell you because I thought you would worry. I tried to avoid it, but I gave in on Tuesday and since then it’s just been a mess. She likes me, that much is obvious, but I don’t know if it's as much as I like her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hang on!” Ryder said as soon as she took a break. “You had sex with her and didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>tell me</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren cringed. She had known he wouldn’t be impressed by how much she had been keeping from him, but she knew it was for the best that she had. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Twice actually.” She bit her lip and her brother scoffed in annoyance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh my God! We spoke </span>
  <em>
    <span>yesterday</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and you didn’t think to at least mention it? What, did you adopt a puppy too or something? Buy a house in the Philippines? Get married?” He genuinely sounded hard done by, though the anger was obviously faked. She laughed, and felt a lightness fill her chest at finally having nothing to hide from him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry, I thought I could just ignore the way I was feeling.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Well </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>was dumb.” He made a funny noise, and Maren pulled a face. He was right of course.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah. It was... “ She agreed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So… What are we going to do now?” He asked, sounding much more serious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I think… I want to help Elsa change the school her way. Seeing her in action with Mr Isles was incredible. I know she can do it, and I really think she’ll make the Academy a great place for the kids there.” She smiled, believing her words completely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I trust you Maren, but I don’t know how it's going to work…” He seemed sceptical still, and she could understand why.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We’ll make it work. Our way won’t do anything long term, it’ll just cause a stir. This is the </span>
  <em>
    <span>best</span>
  </em>
  <span> way… just… not the easiest.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay. I believe you. I’ll… figure this out.” The sigh that followed sounded more troubled, which worried her. “Love you, Maren.” He said quietly, voice laced with anxiety. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Love you too Ry.” She replied, and they hung up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It felt different, to be stood outside of Elsa’s house with nothing weighing on her anymore. She wasn’t tied down, wasn’t being drowned by a stream of guilt, wasn’t poisoned by lies and hidden truths. She was free to take whatever she wanted. And she wanted Elsa. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really like writing the Oliver flashbacks but they hurt so much.</p>
<p>MLauren - You didn't miss the mark, Maren just had to do a bit of quick soul searching hahaha Some rules are meant to be broken ;)</p>
<p>AHappyPup - Your fucking Corona Virus joke made me laugh and groan... it was great, I read it out to my partner</p>
<p>DrafteeDragon - yes yes yes yes!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 21</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa stared after Maren as she walked out, chest clenching in a way she knew it shouldn’t. She didn’t know what had gone wrong, how they had gotten to this place when it had seemed to be going so well. Although Maren had clearly had some reservations about allowing their relationship to turn sexual, she had seemed fine with how it had progressed over the week. Elsa wasn’t blind, she had caught the lingering gazes and twitching of fingers, eager to caress in a much less than sexual way, but it had all felt completely under control. She herself had definitely had a few slip ups, perhaps allowing them both to get a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> close on one or two occasions, but again, it felt under control. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Shit…” She whispered angrily, annoyed at herself for giving in to the softness of Maren’s kiss. If Maren hadn’t stopped them then she was sure she would have let it continue. She had reached out to Maren after, sensing the woman’s panic, but she wasn’t entirely sure what she had wanted to say. The fact that Maren was making her act on impulse and without thinking was worrying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Learning about Oliver and Maren’s relationship had thrown her, and seeing Maren so vulnerable had made that tight cord of restraint snap instantly. She sat down, letting her head fall into her hands. Her chest hurt, and her head throbbed as a migraine formed. The feel of Maren’s lips gently kissing hers had left a tickling tingle, and she drew the bottom one into her mouth. She longed to get rid of the feeling, but it seemed impossible, only serving to add to the tension on her body. She groaned, pressing her fingers into the sides of her head hard enough to distract from the thoughts racing through it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her attraction to Maren had hit her like a freight train at first, the woman's constant fighting back triggering a wave of arousal that left her hungry for more. The romantic feelings had developed slower, and had taken some time to truly understand. Her offer to Maren had been for the benefit of them both, to take the edge off of the physical attraction so it would be easier to ignore any other emotions. In hindsight she realised that it might have been the road to disaster, as feeling Maren’s skin against her own, possessing her in such a careful but primal way was addictive, and it had just made the situation worse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She thought back to the conversation she had with Ella a few days before she had first kissed Maren. Her old friend had commented on her change in practise music, and how she had seemed visibly `off`. Feigning ignorance had only left her feeling uncomfortable, so in the end she had awkwardly asked her for advice. Her mumbled, “how do you stop… feeling something?” hadn’t seemed to surprise Ella, though the curiosity had been palpable. Unfortunately she hadn’t been much help, merely telling her that she shouldn’t try to hide from it. Not once did she mention Maren, but Ella had seemed to be far too knowing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     A prickle of tears formed in her eyes, and she breathed in sharply. No matter what Ella had said, nothing could come from her feelings for Maren. She had accepted them, even allowed a small amount to slip out, but that was as far as she was willing to go. Maybe it was selfish, to take what she wanted from Maren when it was obvious that the woman was struggling with her own issues. Perhaps it was cruel, to let her see that she might return them, only to shoot her down. Some would say it was even wicked, to lean on her when her father had been around, only to silence her. </span>
  <span>But it was better than letting her in fully, and forcing her to stand by as she continued to tear herself apart at the seams, chasing after a future that might never happen. She wouldn't give it up, she wanted and needed it too much, so it was the kindest thing to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The sound of the door opening caught her attention, and she looked over, seeing Maren reappear. Part of her had expected Maren to not come back, and she kind of wished she hadn’t. The woman wore a small smile, which Elsa couldn’t bring herself to reciprocate. She stayed where she was as Maren came to sit back down next to her. Something seemed different, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. Elsa forced herself to push her shoulders back slightly, sitting up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey…” Maren said, and Elsa met her gaze cautiously. “I’m sorry I ran off back there.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She looked so… caring. It physically pained her to see someone looking at her like that, but she fought against the need to turn away, swallowing thickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It’s okay. How are you feeling?” She asked politely, hoping that they could just move on and pretend that they hadn’t just been kissing each other like lovers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Good, actually. I… had to figure some things out.” Maren chuckled to herself, making Elsa frown. She didn’t dare ask what those things might be. However, Maren seemed determined not to let Elsa have her way, staring intently into her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Elsa… I like you. A lot.” Maren spoke with purpose, and Elsa froze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Oh no…</span>
  </em>
  <span> She thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please don’t do this.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m pretty sure you already know that though. I’m not very good at hiding my feelings.” She chuckled again, waiting for a response. It took everything she had to formulate a reply that didn’t give away her panic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes, you-” She took a breath. “There were signs.” She felt her heartbeat pick up as memories of the little moments of softness Maren had gifted her flashed up in her mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I think… Unless I’ve been reading things very wrong-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Stop, please.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She begged internally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I think you like me too?” Maren’s brows were drawn up a tiny amount, betraying the nervousness she must be feeling. She wanted to kiss the crinkle there but knew she </span>
  <em>
    <span>shouldn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Her breathing caught as a wave of anxiety flooded through her, sending shivers rippling over her skin. She looked away from Maren, jaw clenching in frustration as the situation became too much. Elsa dropped her head back into her hands for a few seconds, groaning and curling her thumb to press into her temples. When she lifted it back up, it was with a sudden anger that surprised even her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>sex</span>
  </em>
  <span> Maren. That’s all this was supposed to be.” She whipped her head around, pleading through the anger for Maren to understand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I know, and I’m sorry that it’s happened like this. But I can’t deny how strong my feelings for you are.” It made Elsa’s chest tighten, wanting more than anything to accept her confession. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t know what-” Her sentence died out part way through, not knowing what she was going to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Elsa.” Maren drew her attention back to her enticing brown eyes, and she allowed it, despite her better judgement. “Do you have feelings for me?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The question was blunt, leaving no room for a grey area; she had to confess or lie. And she couldn’t lie, not to Maren. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I… </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She practically whispered, and then immediately looked away with an angry sigh. “But it doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>matter</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I don’t want to pursue a relationship with you, Maren.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She didn’t look at the woman, not trusting herself to react accordingly if she looked sad. She had already learnt that seeing Maren sad made her lose all sense of self control. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Don't want to? Or won’t try?” Maren asked cockily, and Elsa turned to her in astonishment. Maren had a small smile on her face, clearly happy that she had admitted her feelings, even if she didn’t want to take it further. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Maren!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She said in exasperation. Something had definitely changed in the few minutes she had been outside. Maren was cocky and lighthearted, but there had always been a depth to her that made Elsa nervous. Now her smile was bright and unburdened. She reminded Elsa of a puppy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Let me take you on a date.” She said, and Elsa’s mouth dropped open slightly, brain short circuiting. When Maren realised she wasn’t going to get a reply, she continued. “I know you aren’t ready for whatever reason, and that’s okay. But I want you to give me a shot before you make a decision. Let me try and show you why you should say yes when I ask you out.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I-” Elsa was having trouble speaking, or thinking for that matter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “For one week, let me court you. It’s a business deal. The same one you made me before. At the end of the week you can decide.” Maren winked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa pulled her bottom lip into her mouth in thought, hating the way her body immediately responded with excitement to Maren’s offer. The woman had somehow learned how to read her like a book, knowing that she couldn’t say no to a deal like that. It was profitable no matter what direction she came at it from. Maren would romance her, show her the kind of affection she so desperately craved, and they could continue seeing each other sexually, all the while knowing that it would have a definitive end point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Fine.” She said, and once again her brain screamed at her for giving in. “One week.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren’s face lit up, and she couldn’t help the small tug at her own lips in response. Damn that grin was infectious. “But you can’t make it obvious at work. I’m still your boss Miss Nattura.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh,” Maren said with a smirk, “I’m sure you’ll find I can be professional, while still taking you out Miss Winters.” Maren practically sung the words, the imitation of her own sentence making Elsa roll her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’re a nightmare.” Elsa said with an exhausted sigh. She was so tired…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     A quick check of the time told her that it was half past nine. Anna wasn’t due home for about an hour - she always stayed at Belle’s until late on Fridays. A sudden thought hit her, and she realised that she couldn't drive Maren home and get back in time to be home for when Anna got back. She could text her, but the girl always let her phone die, and she didn’t have a key with her… </span>
  <em>
    <span>sigh…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Would you care to stay the night?” Elsa said, face schooled carefully into one of polite disinterest. Maren’s grin faltered at the question, and her brows slowly raised. She realised that the question implied she stay the night with </span>
  <em>
    <span>her, </span>
  </em>
  <span>in the same bed, and swore internally. They had kept their clothes mostly on both times they had had sex, and the idea of seeing Maren fully undressed, sleeping next to her, make her cheeks flush.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We have a couple of spare rooms. You could take one of those. Anna doesn’t have a key and I think we could both do with an early night.” She explained, perhaps a little too quickly. Her face felt warm, pictures of a sleeping, nude Maren still flickering in her mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh! Um, sure? If that's okay with you?” Maren asked, and Elsa nodded. She caught Maren’s hard swallow, and was glad that her slip up had at least affected her as well. “Does that mean I can take you on a date tomorrow?” The grin returned full force, and Elsa sighed again. It was becoming a habit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No.” She watched Maren’s face drop. “But you may accompany me tomorrow. Anna’s invited Kristoff to come and get ice cream with us, and I would prefer </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be a third wheel on what feels awfully like a date for </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Kristoff was by far her favourite of the students at the school. She knew she shouldn’t pick favourites, but the boy was sweet, and kind to Anna and herself in a way that had nothing to do with their power or money. He had always looked so out of place and uncomfortable in the Academy, like Anna often did at their family gatherings, and her natural instincts had pushed her to help. Maren had brought out the same response, her beautiful glass mask of comfort in the school so easy to see through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>double</span>
  </em>
  <span> date?” Maren asked, excited. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I… suppose so.” The whole idea of it being a date made her nervous. In theory Maren being soft and romantic towards her was nice, but she hadn’t done the `dating` thing for a long time. Her stomach swirled at the thought. She noticed Maren watching her curiously as she shivered, and they stayed silent for a couple of seconds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey, this doesn’t need to be a big deal. It’s just us hanging out, getting to know each other away from work. I don’t have to call it a date if it makes it feel weird for you?” Maren asked with a small frown. She always seemed to know what to say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa smiled at her, a fondness filling her chest. She thought about it for a moment, and then back to the agreement they had made. One week. She had to actually give it a shot, it was part of the deal. Just because she knew she would turn her away at the end didn’t change the fact that she had agreed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span>. With a light smile and a gentle frown she reached out to cup Maren’s cheek. It was soft, and so warm, and she gently stroked it once with her thumb. Without thinking too hard she leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to Maren’s lips. It sent her heart racing, and she pulled away before her breathing could get out of control.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It’s a date.” She said confidently, ignoring the extra beat of her heart. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ELSA POV FINALLY! This chapter might be a bit sub-par, it's all a bit stressful here atm. </p>
<p>spookyscaryskeletons (Buttons15) - I think you're still catching up, but for when you get to this chapter, Hi, thanks for reading :3 Hope you're enjoying it</p>
<p>byulwan480 - Hey from the UK! So many ElsaMaren supporters are from the Philippines so I thought it was a funny little slip in :)</p>
<p>%%% - Here is your Elsa POV! Yeah she's panicking too hahaha</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: NSFW content. Please read in private. (I know none of you listen to this but I gotta say it)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 22</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     The covers felt too oppressive, leaving her skin hot and sticky in a way that drove Elsa mad. She’d never been good at sleeping, hence her addiction to coffee, but tonight felt even worse. Each minute that ticked past worsened the migraine pounding behind her burning eyes, bringing with it groans of annoyance. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>tired, so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> tired, but whenever she closed her eyes they filled with images of her father. Her heart thrummed quickly with each visual, as she was torn between wanting to screw her eyes closed and throw them open to get rid of the picture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She knew he wouldn’t be down that weekend, but there was only so long he would stay away after her confrontation with Mr Isles got back to him. His volatile nature was something she was used to, and though she didn’t look forward to the event, the effect he had on her wasn’t nearly as strong as it used to be. But this time she was playing with his money, something he held closer to his chest than he had even held her mother. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Additionally, Maren was another unexpected catalyst. Her father hadn’t cared about her sexuality, claiming that there were plenty of young women of high status who she could marry, but Maren hardly counted as one of them. Not that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> cared, nor did she care to </span>
  <em>
    <span>marry</span>
  </em>
  <span> Maren, but if he found out about her current predicament he would be sure to make his opinion vocal, the same way he had the last time she had explored dating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She rolled onto her front, shoving her arms under the pillow and pushing her face into it. She couldn’t breathe well in that position, but the slow, deep breaths it forced her to take actually calmed her slightly. Her worst nightmare felt like it was looming over her, just waiting for her to relax so it could descend and launch her into despair. What if her father </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> come down this weekend? If Maren was around then he would have </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> reasons to be angry. Would Maren try to step in? Would Anna? She’d been getting more and more out of control recently, and although her counselling sessions had actually made more of a difference than she’d expected, she highly doubted it would change her reaction to their father’s ‘lessons’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The unknown of it kept her awake into the early hours, and she only felt herself getting more and more frustrated. As fear and anger battled inside of her she found herself longing for Maren to save her from it. Between the images of her father's judgemental face, and of Anna shouting, Maren’s popped up. Sometimes she was smiling and happy, and other times she wore a smirk, eyes roaming over her in a way that drew out a small moan. The constantly changing channels had become a regular occurrence for Elsa as of late, and now, as one particularly clear image of the woman kissing her neck popped up, she decided she’d had enough. It was hard enough to sleep with the other concerns running through her mind, she really didn’t need </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maren</span>
  </em>
  <span> and her incredibly strong allure adding to that problem. She acted tough around the counsellor, but she always felt vulnerable, like she knew all of her secrets. A shot of warmth flooded through her as she stared at the wall, in the direction of the room she knew the other woman was probably asleep in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Exhaustion took over her decision making skills for a moment, and she slipped out of bed, straightening her loose short shorts and satin tank top as she did so. Her feet were bare, hair loose around her shoulders, and her features devoid of make-up. For a second she paused, wondering if she looked okay, but she decided she  didn’t actually care. If Maren wanted her, now was the time to prove it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She was careful to open and close her bedroom door slowly, aware that Anna had come home. Her sister was usually a deep sleeper, but she had a habit of sleeping lightly on weekends… just in case she needed her. It was sweet, how much she cared, and she threw a small smile at the closed door to her room. Directly opposite it was the room she had set up for Maren, and she stared at the white door, biting her lip. Once again an image of Maren’s hungry eyes appeared, and she breathed out deeply as the throbbing between her thighs made itself known. It was followed by a stab of guilt, knowing that this was an unfair method of coping with her anxiety and insomnia. She hadn’t lied to Maren before, she didn’t associate any of her father's punishments with her sexual preferences, but she would admit that she had been known to use it as a distraction when things got just that bit too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Her footsteps fell almost silently, until she stood with her fingertips tracing the edge of the door handle. Swallowing, she slowly turned it, pushing the door open. It creaked quietly, just enough to make Maren stir, and it was clear she hadn’t been sleeping well, if the messy covers and swiftness of her awakening were anything to go by. As the women turned to look at her, Elsa was floored. She was laid mostly on top of the covers, the heat too much for her as well apparently, and was wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers. They hugged the tops of her thighs, and Elsa noticed for the first time that the woman was quite toned. Her thighs were thick with power, stomach flat with just a hint of a line visible. It was a first for Elsa, her history of encounters tending to be with dainty, classically feminine women she met at fancy events. If it wasn’t so dark she was sure Maren would have been able to see her pupils dilate in arousal, as she ran her eyes over every inch of her tan skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Elsa?” Maren asked sleepily, and Elsa let her eyes fall on Maren’s face. Her hair was a wild mess of dark brown against the grey sheets, and her face was lit only by the white glow shining in from the window, where Maren had strangely left the curtains open. The scene was almost ethereal, like Maren was a projection cast onto the bed from the moon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Elsa didn’t speak, but stepped forward so she could carefully close the door behind her. She slowly walked over to the woman, who took her time adjusting to the reality that someone had come into her room. Did she still think she was dreaming? Elsa wondered that as she watched Maren’s eyes flicker over her in awe, assuaging the fears she had briefly had about her appearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     When she got close, Maren went to sit up, but Elsa stopped her with a hand on her chest, pushing her back down into the sheets. It didn’t take any pressure at all, Maren seeming more than happy to give in to her prompting. Without a word, she put her knee on one side of the bed, climbing up and over Marens waist so she was straddling her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I-” Maren went to speak, but Elsa saw it coming, and laid a finger gently on top of her lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Shh…” She whispered, flicking her eyes to the door with a small quirk to her lips. Maren frowned, but seemed to realise that she was talking about Anna being close. There was a small nod of understanding, and then Maren looked back up at her expectantly, waiting for her to say or do something. She shifted her knees so she was comfortable, biting her lip against the feeling of Marens hot skin pressed against her erotically. She reached out to pick up Maren’s wrists, leading her hands from their place on the bed onto her hips. The woman swallowed, and Elsa felt a small shift under her as Maren fought the urge to roll her hips up. It took her a moment to gather herself, the strange, peaceful excitement she felt both warming her body from the inside out and chilling her skin all at once. The curious acceptance in Maren’s expression made her tongue dart out to wet her lips, the way she was letting her lead the situation thrilling her. Though it wasn’t something she preferred, Elsa had to admit that the idea of controlling Maren like this was a turn on, especially after seeing just how physically capable she was of turning the tables and pinning her down if and when she wanted to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     With Maren’s hands where she wanted them, she ran her own over Marens bare chest, taking in the few dark freckles spotting over her torso. Her body was glorious, but when she looked up into those deep eyes, full of intense desire, she knew what she wanted. She leaned forward, ghosting her lips above her employees as she reached down to pull off her shorts. Maren’s fingers twitched, wanting to help but too busy trying to tilt her head up into a kiss. The desperation in Maren’s parted lips made Elsa’s draw up into a small smirk, and she caught her eyes as she sat back up. A sigh fell from her lips as the bare skin between her thighs pressed against Maren’s stomach, and she rocked a couple of times, leaving a small wet streak. Maren’s fingers tightened instantly, shoulders tightening visibly, the urge to flip them over clearly strong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “God, Els-” Elsa forcefully pushed her hand over Maren’s mouth. She knew from experience how hot it was to be silenced, and knew from the wriggling body under her that Maren agreed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Elsa moved her knees up her body slowly, only stopping to let Maren slip her arms under her legs so she could continue. There was no resistance, Maren understanding instantly what she wanted. When her heat was positioned above Maren’s mouth she felt a fresh rush of arousal fly through her, the hot breath of the woman leaving her desperate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     After one kiss to her thigh, Maren tilted her head up to run her tongue through Elsa’s folds. One of Elsa’s hands flew up to the headboard, the other pressing flat against the wall above it to steady herself. The cool feel of the materials under her palms only served to make the heat of Maren’s mouth more intense, and her lips parted involuntarily. Maren tested out a few strokes to Elsa’s clit, finding the pressure that made her hips jerk, before slipping back down to tease at her entrance. It felt so intense, but not quite enough, and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Her body was electric, shots of energy rippling through her with each swirl of Maren’s tongue around her entrance. Once or twice she pushed up enough to slip inside, and Elsa fluttered her hips each time, her throat closed up against any sound. The air was still and hot, the only sound in the room the gentle rustle of sheets. It felt like they were in another world, away from everyone and everything; it made her feel drunk, like her head was spinning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren moved to focus on her clit again, knowing the pressure she needed now, and Elsa whimpered almost inaudibly as she worked her into delirium. Maren sighed against her and Elsa could feel the woman’s hips moving of their own accord, pulling the sheets under her knees with each gentle lift. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Eventually Maren raised a hand to join her mouth, and Elsa shifted to accommodate her, letting her tongue circle her clit as one finger slipped into her. The second followed after a couple of moments, and they reached in deep, curling and leaving her lost for air. Her eyes watered, a hot shiver shooting through her until it escaped in a single choked exhale. Her hips pressed back into the fingers, and Maren groaned quietly, pressing with more force against her clit. She wanted to reach down and grip Maren’s hair, but knew that not touching her would make the final feeling all the more intense. Instead she leaned forward slightly, the hand on the headboard bending and gripping hard, the one on the wall clawing at the paint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren’s free hand reached up to run along her stomach, but Elsa grabbed it with the hand that had been on the headboard, pinning her wrist down above her head. Maren looked up at her in surprise, and Elsa couldn’t comprehend the sight before her. Maren’s flushed face was shimmering with sweat, and she was completely at Elsa’s will, pinned down and happily serving Elsa’s needs. Dom or not, the idea was enough to push her to the edge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She let her nails bite into Maren’s wrist, and she pushed herself closer to the woman's face, rocking into her fingers and tongue. The silence and darkness made the feeling more powerful, and as the pressure built she finally felt an uncontrollable gasp break free. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Ahh-” She cut the sound short, eyes screwed shut as the pressure broke, hips pressing down hard to keep Maren’s fingers as deep as possible. A strangled sob broke free, but she fought it down to a minimal level, eyes watering as her body spasmed. Maren moaned into her quietly, and she </span>
  <em>
    <span>felt</span>
  </em>
  <span> it, making her hips jump and her body tingle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She didn’t know how long it took for her to come down from the high, but Maren obediently stayed where she was, letting her buck against her lips and tongue every now and then. When she finally slipped her fingers out she stared up at Elsa with an intense lust that Maren hadn’t offered to her before. The raw power to the look made her shiver, knowing that Maren was imagining doing all kinds of filthy things to her in response, but she wanted to prove a point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Slowly, she got off Maren, slipping off of the bed and grabbing her shorts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Hey w-” Elsa silenced Maren with a hard kiss, pulling her shorts up as she sensually licked her hot lips, still damp with her wetness. She pinned Maren with a look that told her she shouldn’t make a move. It still surprised her just how well Maren could understand her signals.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     With a smirk she turned and headed to the door, leaving Maren to sort herself out. She looked back to the woman once, catching the intensity of the stare burning into her. Maren was barely restraining herself from the looks of it, body tense with raw need, jaw clenched to keep herself from saying anything. Elsa gave her body a final once over, wishing she could be a fly on the wall to watch what Maren was undoubtedly about to do to herself after she left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     When she slipped out and back to her bedroom it was with a spring in her step. If Maren wanted to try to win her over, then she would have to show her that she was willing to let Elsa be in charge. They both knew Maren was the dominant out of the two of them, but this was a show to prove she wasn’t going to be pushed over, a game of sorts, and from the way Maren had accepted it so easily, she was willing to play it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She slept better than ever after that, the fantasy of watching Maren finish herself off playing on repeat.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This goes out to all the peeps in isolation who need... entertainment. </p><p>FuzzySandwitch - You're right about Elsa being in her head about it all, and being less perceptive. It was a challenge to swap over to writing it in a way where we actually see and understand less, because that's what Elsa would see, but i'm getting into the swing of it.</p><p>SnowyCrocus - I'm so glad my fic is something you're enjoying. Its such a stressful time, keep safe x</p><p>Arlnoff - I was originally not going to change the POV there at all, it was a little later, but it felt like such a great moment to do it. Glad you liked it :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 23</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Elsa was more than a little surprised to see Anna already up when she entered the kitchen diner that morning. She was never awake earlier than Elsa, and it made her question whether or not she might have slept in later than expected. As she stopped in the doorway she flicked her eyes up to the large silver clock on the wall, raising an eyebrow when she realised that it was half seven in the morning… on a Saturday… </p>
<p>     “You’re up early?” She asked Anna, who whipped her head around, turning away from whatever she was making for breakfast, bacon from the smell of it, to grin at her sister. </p>
<p>     “Morning!” Anna said chirpily, “Would you like some breakfast?” </p>
<p>     Elsa ran a hand through her hair, fingers separating the knots that she had worked into it during her restless night. She was glad Anna had shoved on some pyjama trousers to combat the slight cool bite to the morning air, as the girl had a habit of wandering around in her oversized band tee and pants. She had thrown on a blue silk dressing down herself, aware that at some point Maren would be making an appearance. </p>
<p>     “No thank you.” She replied, making her way over to the coffee machine. Bad habit as it might be, she did enjoy her quiet coffee in the morning before getting ready. Though it didn’t look like Anna would be letting her morning be a particularly quiet one. </p>
<p>     “I thought I should get up early so I could get ready for Kristoff to arrive. You know how he’s super punctual and stuff.” Normally Anna was grumpy and unresponsive for at least an hour after she woke up, so this kind of attitude was strange. </p>
<p>     “He’s due to arrive at eleven right? That’s a lot of time to get ready?” She took her now filled mug over to the breakfast bar, placing it on the white, marble effect counter top. She didn’t comment on the mess Anna had made of their kitchen, but sighed at the sight quietly. </p>
<p>     “Well yeah, but I have to pick clothes out, get showered, sort out my hair and…” She trailed off with a frown, realising there was nothing else she needed to do. “Well anyway, it doesn’t harm anyone to be prepared.” She finished formally, back straight and brows raised. Elsa smiled, enjoying the innocence about the scenario. Her sister had always been a romantic, but seemed to fall for the worst type of boy. As such, it had never gotten further than a couple of dates before they moved onto someone else. Kristoff was different, and although Anna was refusing to admit that she liked the boy, it was more than evident in her actions. </p>
<p>     “Of course.” She chuckled and tapped a finger on her mug, looking down into the dark liquid. “Anna… about today…” She started, and her sister hummed to let her know she was listening as she finished making her food. Elsa bit her lip, not knowing how to explain. </p>
<p>     It was at that moment that a yawn could be heard from the stairs, and Elsa sighed again, realising she was going to have to do this a different way. Anna turned in the direction of the sound, tensing, and a few seconds later a very sleepy Maren walked in. Her hair was even messier than it had been in bed, which she was sure she might be to blame for, and she looked… cute? It wasn’t the best word for her appearance, dressed only in boxers and her shirt from the night prior, done up wrong by only three buttons in the middle. It was pretty obvious that she wasn’t wearing a bra, and Elsa’s eyes dropped to the visible skin of her sternum, immediately feeling hot. It was definitely an arousing sight, but overall the woman looked all too adorable, rubbing her eyes and slinking over the floor as if in a daze. </p>
<p>     “<em> Oh my god! </em> ” Anna’s voice broke several times as she shrieked in shock. The sound brought Maren out of her daze, eyes going wide as she took in the sight of her student. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and Elsa watched silently as Maren and Anna’s faces lit up bright red. It was funny, but she had to admit that she probably should have warned both parties <em> before </em> she let this situation happen. </p>
<p>     “Anna! <em> Shit </em>” Maren made a haphazard attempt at crossing her arms over her chest. Everything was covered, but Elsa could imagine how awkward it must be to feel so exposed in front of a student. </p>
<p>     “<em> Elsa!” </em>Anna whipped her head between them, and Maren did the same, both women watching her sit casually on the bar stool, blowing calmly on her coffee. </p>
<p>     “G-good morning…” Maren said halfheartedly at her, trying to throw Anna a smile. It wasn’t returned, Anna’s mouth dangling half open instead. After a moment she moved, scooting away from Maren to stomp over to Elsa. The blonde threw Maren an apologetic smile, before feeling Anna’s hands grab at her arm. She let go of her coffee, letting herself be dragged away. </p>
<p>     As soon as they were around the corner Anna stopped, spinning on the spot and throwing a hand up to point back in the direction of the kitchen. </p>
<p>     “She stayed the <em> night </em>?!” Anna whispered forcefully. </p>
<p>     “She did.” Elsa said, crossing her arms loosely and tossing her hair over her shoulder. </p>
<p>     “Did she stay in your <em> room </em>?” Anna asked, hand falling heavily to her side. </p>
<p>     “She stayed in one of the spare rooms. It’s really not that big of a deal, Anna.” She didn’t meet her sister’s gaze, knowing that it was in fact much more of a big deal than she cared to admit. </p>
<p>     “You’ve <em> never </em> let anyone stay over Elsa!” Her voice was just loud enough that she was sure Maren could probably hear them, and she cast a cautious glance back to the entrance of the kitchen. </p>
<p>     “Look, it was… it was a difficult evening and she didn’t have her bike. There’s nothing more to it than that. But she will be joining us today.” Elsa knew she was using her work voice to cover up her pounding heart, but Anna knew her well enough to see through it. </p>
<p>     “Oh my god, this is a date. Like a proper date?” Anna’s surprise morphed slowly into a look of excitement, and Elsa was quick to stop her. </p>
<p>     “No! I-” She felt herself getting flustered, not liking how pleased her little sister looked. “I agreed to let her… court me… but it’s only for a week.”</p>
<p>     She held her breath, anxiously looking at Anna. The redhead’s eyes seemed to gloss over slightly, and Elsa didn’t understand why. When she didn’t speak, Elsa began to fidget, the ease at which she had navigated the morning until then having slipped away. Anna reached out to take her hand, gripping it gently, seeming genuinely choked up. The girl seemed to think about it for a moment, and then cocked her head to the side.</p>
<p>     “Why only a week?” She asked curiously.</p>
<p>     “I told her I didn’t want to date her, but she asked me to give her a week. I <em> agreed </em>, but I’m still not going to say yes.” Elsa could see the desperation in Anna’s gaze.</p>
<p>     “Elsa you can’t just-” She sighed, stopping for a second. Then she smiled lovingly. “You know what, it’s good. One week is a great start, right? But you have to promise to be open to it!” Anna said encouragingly, and Elsa nodded, her lips pulling up on one side. </p>
<p>     Elsa knew Anna’s mother far better then Anna herself knew her, and as she matured Elsa was seeing just how similar the two really were. The honest, supportive nature was something Bethany had had in heaps, and she found herself feeling glad her sister had inherited it. She still felt guilty that Bethany had mothered her for longer as a baby sitter than Anna had gotten from her as an actual mother. </p>
<p>     “Yeah…” </p>
<p>     Anna dragged her suddenly back into the kitchen, where Maren was leaning awkwardly against the counter, staring at random things around the room. She spun around at the sound of their return, coughing awkwardly. Her brown eyes found Elsa’s with a grin, and she was immediately sure that she had heard at least some of their conversation. Enough to have given her some hope that she might be letting her in at least. It wasn’t ideal, but she needed to prove she was trying so she could convincingly tell her she was <em> sure </em> she didn’t want to pursue their relationship further. </p>
<p>     “So Miss Nattura! Maren! I can call you that now that you’re dating my sister right?” Anna started quickly, sitting heavily down on one of the bar stools, Elsa following much more gracefully. </p>
<p>     “We’re not d-” Elsa started.</p>
<p>     “I don’t thin-” Maren tried at the same time, but Anna continued over the top of both of them.</p>
<p>     “We’re going to get some ice cream, and then I think you,” she looked to her sister, “should bring Maren with us to see the horses. Do you like horses? You’ll love Bruni, he’s so sweet.” </p>
<p>     “Anna I really don-” Elsa tried again but Anna just gasped loudly. </p>
<p>     “We should have a movie night later too! Then you can cuddle up on the sofa under a blanket and it’ll be <em> so </em> cute!” Anna finally finished, practically vibrating with excitement. For a girl with such an attitude as of late, she sure was happy to make her uncomfortable. She had played a big role in her attempt to seduce Maren, coming up with most of the ideas and forcing her into them, and now Elsa worried she would be the same about their courting scenario. “What do you think Maren?” </p>
<p>     Elsa looked to the tan woman, whose smirk had been wiped clean for once. She looked terrified, which actually relaxed Elsa a little. Misery does love company after all. </p>
<p>     “If- If Elsa is okay with it?” They caught eyes, and she looked deeply into them. Maren looked down, with a small frown, and Elsa realised her hand was clenched into a tight fist, the nail of her thumb digging into her forefinger. “Maybe just the ice cream for today, Anna?” Maren said politely, and Elsa felt affection flood through her for the woman. </p>
<p>
  <em>      She’s trying to meet you in the middle. Come on, you said you’d try. Just do it.  </em>
</p>
<p>     “No.” Both women looked at her, surprise on both of their features. “You should stay and see the horses at least. I’m sure Kristoff would love for you to see them too.” </p>
<p>     Maren blinked, and Anna grinned wide. Nerves rippled through Elsa’s body, making her slightly nauseous. She took a swig of coffee, hoping to calm herself. Viewing Maren as an employee with sexual benefits was easy, but seeing her as an actual suitor felt uncomfortable. Even after the previous night's antics, where she had successfully proven she would be controlling the situation between them, she still felt fragile around her. </p>
<p>     “I’d love to.” Maren spoke softly, and Elsa gave her a small smile, letting her know it was okay. </p>
<p>     “Great!” Anna squeaked, and then looked at the time. “Shit! I need to get ready!” She grabbed her plate and ran off up the stairs with it, leaving the two women alone. </p>
<p>     “She does know how much time she has, right?” Maren asked with a raised eyebrow.</p>
<p>     Elsa chuckled, finally relaxing. She knew Maren wouldn’t push her <em> too </em> far out of her comfort zone, which she appreciated immensely. </p>
<p>     “Apparently she needs several hours to prepare for her non-date.” She sipped at her coffee, and Maren bit her lip. It was a curious gesture, and she wasn’t sure if it was caused by amusement or because she was thinking something dirty. Her brows twitched in curiosity. </p>
<p>     “Do you? Need several hours to prepare for our non-date?” Maren asked, leaning onto the counter in a way that allowed Elsa to see straight down her shirt. It made her mouth dry, and other parts of her wet. </p>
<p>     “No, I can be quick.” Elsa replied automatically, falling right into Maren’s trap. </p>
<p>     “Oh I know you can be.” She winked, catching the breath in Elsa’s lungs before it escaped. She cleared her throat, flicking her eyes up to the stairs to make sure Anna was gone. Her actions during the night had been a response to extreme sleep deprivation while being frustratingly aroused. With a clear head she knew it might not have been the best idea, but she didn’t regret it one bit. Seeing Maren give herself to Elsa like that proved how serious she was about their arrangement, which made her much more receptive to it, but it also opened her up to whatever punishment Maren decided she deserved for leaving her high and dry. </p>
<p>     She quickly gathered herself, letting herself enjoy the banter. </p>
<p>     “What about you?”</p>
<p>     “I can be quick. Sometimes I like to take my time though.” Maren suggested, eyes drifting down to her lips. </p>
<p>     “Oh?” She queried. Maren hummed. “You’ll have to teach me.” She teased, lips pulling up. </p>
<p>     They stared at each other, the sexual tension thick between them. Eventually Maren clenched her jaw, pushing herself away from Elsa and turning around to fiddle with the coffee machine. </p>
<p>     “Only if you let me kiss you today.” Maren was grinning, and Elsa rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>     “I told you I would let you court me this week. I’m sure that includes a kiss or two.” She replied professionally. </p>
<p>     “It does, but I want to kiss you like regular people do. Taking you on a few dates will be fun, but I want to show you what you’d get if you were my girlfriend. That means a kiss on the cheek when you do something cute, or a quick one on the lips at breakfast.” She turned with a mug of coffee, leaning against the counter again expectantly. </p>
<p>     Elsa knew what she meant. This week of courting was an all in type of deal where in every way except the label, they would be together, like a proper couple. They weren’t the rules she had agreed to, but then again she hadn’t really set any boundaries. They never seemed to do that... It was too late to turn back at that point, and she couldn’t lie and say she didn’t want to try what Maren was offering. Her biggest concern was just how effective Maren's deal might be in showing her what she would be missing if she… <em> when </em> she said no.</p>
<p>     “Fine. You may kiss me when you like. But keep it pg in front of Anna please.” She said with a sigh, heart pounding when Maren slipped around the breakfast bar to stand next to her. The woman turned her stool so they were facing, slipping a hand up onto her thigh. Elsa didn’t know what to do with her hands. If this was a prelude to sex then she would slip them under her shirt, but that wasn’t the intention. She placed them awkwardly on her knees, frowning down at them. </p>
<p>     Maren brought her free hand up to take one of them, stroking the back of it with her thumb. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and chest in a way she wasn’t used to, and she slowly looked up into Maren’s eyes. As she leaned in close Elsa closed her eyes, feeling Maren’s warm breath on her lips. Maren hovered for a second, before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. It was chaste, which was new for Elsa. She craved another instantly, and without control of her body her hand reached out to cup Maren’s cheek, pulling her into one more. It was just as chaste, but lasted slightly longer, leaving her lips begging for more. </p>
<p>     They pulled away slowly, Maren sporting a dopey smile that looked incredibly sweet on her. Elsa noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, and jumped at the sight of her sister standing on the stairs, watching them in awe. </p>
<p>     “Anna!” Elsa’s voice cracked, and Maren turned too. </p>
<p>     “Sorry, sorry! I’m just grabbing my phone!” She whispered, running in to pick up her mobile from the side before scurrying back upstairs. </p>
<p>     Maren laughed, taking a step away. </p>
<p>     “Would you like some breakfast?” Elsa asked, rubbing her hands on her knees.</p>
<p>     She wasn’t sure if any of this was a good idea. In fact, she <em> knew </em> it wasn’t, but it was just too good to say no to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I loved this scene so much, I've been waiting to write it hahaha<br/>I'm glad everyone enjoyed the extra little smut. It was a quick add on that I wasn't intending to write. And yes... the headboard is back. The running theme in this smut is having to be quiet. </p>
<p>%%%%%%% - Yes! The idea of the Arendellian guard serving her queen is so sexy. Elsa just needs to prove her power, so she can be a sub without feeling out of control.</p>
<p>yourtypicalfangirl  - This has become quite a lot of people's Isolation binge read. I'm so glad you're enjoying it!</p>
<p>fanficfruitts - Elsa's POV is definitely very different. But its a nice different I think :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 24</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Anna was right about Kristoff being punctual. He had shown up exactly on time, though she had noticed him standing outside the door waiting to knock for at least five minutes before. He had been shocked to see Maren, but after a whisper from Anna he had given his counsellor a grin and a thumbs up. The woman had looked a little sheepish, like there was some kind of inside joke she wasn’t privy too, but she let it be, deciding that she really didn’t want to know. The boy had blushed profusely at seeing Anna in her short shorts, the same way Maren had when Elsa had caught her staring at her striped linen shorts and bare legs.</p>
<p>     The drive to the coast had taken around forty minutes, in which time Anna, Kristoff <em> and </em> Maren had discovered they all liked one particular band. Elsa wasn’t too pleased by the rock music, but hearing Anna and Kristoff singing along loudly while Maren made drum noises was more than entertaining enough. On several occasions she had found herself smiling and laughing at their antics, which was always rewarded with a sappy smile from Maren in the passenger seat. Anna had insisted she take the front seat, much to Elsa’s suspicion, but it had definitely turned out to be worth it. </p>
<p>     Elsa and Maren walked along the promenade together, Anna and Kristoff ahead of them a bit, talking animatedly. Conversation flowed all too naturally between the two women, as it had done when they went to the bar, and she had to admit she was having fun. </p>
<p>     “I never took Ella as a beach kind of person.” Maren said in surprise, looking out at the calm ocean.</p>
<p>     “She preferred going to the park I think, but Ariel loved it here.” She explained, reminiscing fondly on her time as a younger teenager. </p>
<p>     “What did you prefer?” Maren asked curiously, and Elsa took a slow breath. </p>
<p>     “I liked the beach when I was a younger teen, but… I stopped being keen on bikinis…” She said carefully, not looking at Maren. </p>
<p>     “Oh,” It took Maren a second to understand her meaning, and her tone changed. “Oh… because- I see.” </p>
<p>     Elsa didn’t want to put any kind of emphasis on it, and quickly began to think of a way to change the subject. It still felt odd to have someone know about her issues with her father, and as much as she was okay with her knowing, she still felt uncomfortable talking about it. At the bar she had promised to talk to Maren about it as long as she didn’t intervene, and now that they were kind of seeing each other she felt like she shouldn’t skirt around it so much. But it didn’t make it any easier to discuss, and a short silence fell between them. </p>
<p>     “I had a couple of friends at the group home we were in as teens. We used to head out of town and climb trees and stuff. It wasn’t often because we all had part time jobs from pretty young, but it was fun.” Maren pulled a hand out of her pocket to brush away something on her face. She liked finding out little bits about Maren’s life as a child. The woman was great at reading others, but she played her cards close to her chest when it came to herself. She’d learnt more about her in one day then she had in the months they had known each other. They had driven past her house to let her change clothes, and seeing even just the outside of the small flat had sparked a warmth in her chest. </p>
<p>     “Where did you work?” She asked. At seventeen her father had made her work part time as a secretary, but she knew that most people weren’t given jobs like that.</p>
<p>     “I was a cashier on the weekends until I learnt to drive, and then Pizza Delivery all through university.” Maren said, and Elsa had to praise her work ethic. </p>
<p>     “You’re a good employee, they were lucky.” She smiled, and Maren did too. They had reached the ice cream parlour, and Anna and Kristoff were excitedly debating what to have. She knew her sister would have chocolate, as always, but she was pretending to make a decision for whatever reason. </p>
<p>     “One Mint Choc Chip, and one Double Chocolate please. Oh! Double scoops please!” Anna said excitedly when they had decided, and Elsa rolled her eyes. She had such a sweet tooth. </p>
<p>     “What would you like?” Maren said, and Elsa turned to her, seeing her pull out some cash. </p>
<p>     “Oh, I can pay for the-” </p>
<p>     “I know you can. So can I. What do you want?” Maren said, and Elsa blinked. It didn’t quite make sense for her to pay when Elsa was quite happy to pay for the whole group, but she appreciated the sentiment. It was nice to know Maren wasn’t just after her for the money she came with. </p>
<p>     “A single scoop of Chocolate Hazelnut.” She asked, and Maren’s brows shot up. </p>
<p>     “I didn’t take you for a Chocolate ice cream kinda gal?” She said, moving forward in the queue. Elsa shrugged.</p>
<p>     “I like it.” She watched Maren’s expression turn soft, and she suddenly leaned in to press a quick, soft kiss to her cheek. </p>
<p>     “You’re cute.” Maren turned to the server, leaving Elsa to stare at her in surprise. “One Chocolate Hazelnut, and one Honeycomb please. Both single scoop. Thank you.” </p>
<p>     It took a couple of seconds for her to register what she had said, body tensed at the unexpected affection. </p>
<p><em>      Honeycomb… huh. </em> </p>
<p>     They walked away to sit on the edge of the promenade, legs dangling over the edge above the sand, Elsa noticing the way Anna and Kristoff were sitting practically pressed together. She saw Maren looking too, in a curious way she didn’t quite understand. She knew Kristoff and Anna had both been visiting Maren for her services as a counsellor, but she didn’t realise just how fond the woman had gotten of her students. The way she had gone above and beyond for Anna after the Hans issue was proof enough, but seeing her around Kristoff was sweet. Maybe the board did know how to make a good decision about <em> some </em> things. They sat making casual conversation for a while, until Elsa had an idea.</p>
<p>     “Tell me something about you.” Elsa said suddenly.</p>
<p>     Maren turned to look at her mid lick, making Elsa smile. </p>
<p>     “Like what?” Maren asked, tilting her head. </p>
<p>     “Anything. We’ve had very different lives so far, I want to get to know you more.” She swapped her crossed legs over, so she was facing Maren partially. The woman seemed to think about her question, humming and taking another lick at her ice cream. </p>
<p>     “I got arrested once.” Maren said, staring off into the distance. Elsa almost choked on her own ice cream, not expecting that answer at all. </p>
<p>     “<em> What? </em>” She said, and Maren chuckled. </p>
<p>     “I spray painted a smiley face on the bus station wall when I was Anna’s age. They took me to the station but after a couple of hours of me freaking out they just let me off with a warning and a promise to wash it off. It was a pretty lousy attempt at teenage rebellion.” Maren cringed as she told the story, obviously embarrassed. Elsa couldn’t hold in the small laugh as she tried to visualise Maren as a teenager in that situation. “Your turn.” </p>
<p>     “Ella was my first kiss.” Elsa smiled smally, watching Maren’s eyes widen.</p>
<p>     “Oh?” </p>
<p>     “We were fifteen. She wanted to know what it was like before she kissed a boy.” She finished off her ice cream, entertained by the mixed emotions playing on Maren’s face. </p>
<p>     “Did you like her?” Maren asked, and Elsa laughed, having seen the question coming. </p>
<p>     “A little, but it was more of a brief crush and not a full blown infatuation. People spread rumours that we were dating once, but she started dating someone else pretty soon after so it wasn’t a big deal.” She smiled at the memory. It had been a terrifying time for her, realising that she was into women and not knowing what to do about it, but looking back now made her happy. </p>
<p>     “So why…” Maren stopped for a moment, and looked like she was going to change the course of her sentence. </p>
<p>     “You can ask.” She wasn’t sure if she was right in her assumptions about what she was going to ask, but Maren only got that look when she was discussing something serious.</p>
<p>     “I don’t understand why you pushed her away after what happened.” Maren looked awkward, obviously knowing that it was a touchy subject. Elsa sighed. </p>
<p>     “It wasn’t by choice. She…” She felt her heartbeat pick up as she thought back, hating the memory of that day. “We were practising music late at school, and when she went to the toilet my father showed up. He was in a rage about something and lashed out when I tried to ask about it. Ella came back at the wrong time and saw him pinning me to the wall and threatening me. She was terrified, but she tried to defend me... He decided we shouldn’t hang out anymore.”  She frowned.</p>
<p>     “And you just did as he said?” Maren asked in disbelief. </p>
<p>     “Not exactly. I tried to hang out with her in secret. Got her to agree to stay quiet about it all.” She paused, feeling a twinge in her stomach as she brought up the memory she would much rather forget. “He taught me a lesson for disobeying him.”</p>
<p>     Maren took a slow breath, and Elsa watched her physically restrain herself from doing or saying anything. It took her a few seconds, but eventually she exhaled with a shiver. She didn’t say anything, keeping her promise of not stepping in or saying anything negative about her situation. Instead, she lowered a hand and placed it on top of Elsa's, stroking her thumb over the back of it slowly. Elsa’s skin felt incredibly sensitive after discussing her father, and the feeling of such a gentle touch from someone other than Anna was strange. Staring at the hand, she swallowed, slowly turning her own so they were loosely joined. </p>
<p>     “My turn!” Maren said, grinning widely at her. It didn’t look forced, which Elsa found amazing. She really was trying to just… be there for her. Her chest constricted and she felt her throat close up. It took a lot of effort for her to hear what Maren said next.</p>
<p>     “I learnt how to cook while in the orphanage because the helpers get extra food.” She threw Elsa a wink, making her laugh through her slightly watery eyes. </p>
<p>     “I’m a terrible cook, but Anna and I aim to cook at least three meals a week ourselves.” She replied.</p>
<p>     “What do you eat the other days?” Maren asked, and Elsa bit her lip. </p>
<p>     “Um… we order food from a local chef. It’s what our father always did…” She said guiltily. It was a very expensive habit, but with no time to learn how to cook, and no one to learn it from, she hadn’t gotten the hang of it. Plus, Anna was even worse than her in the kitchen, so it was a nightmare. </p>
<p>     “You have professional meals… every night?” Maren was either amazed, or horrified. She wasn’t really sure. </p>
<p>     “Yes?” </p>
<p>     “You…” She stopped,  jumping down onto the sand to turn around and face her, huffing as she crossed her arms dramatically. “are <em> awful </em>.” She said grumpily, but there was a small twitch to the corner of her lip that showed she didn’t actually mean it. </p>
<p>     Anna and Kristoff noticed the display, looking curiously between them both. </p>
<p>     “What’s wrong?” Anna asked, and Maren whipped around, holding a finger up in a shushing motion. </p>
<p>     “No, I can't talk to <em> either </em> of you right now. You <em> disgust </em> me.” Maren said jokingly, looking between the both of them with a highly judgemental expression on her face. The commitment to the action made Elsa laugh. It reminded her so much of Anna as a kid that she couldn’t help the reaction, and Anna looked at her as if she was crazy, not understanding, which only made her laugh more. She covered her mouth with a hand as Maren’s fake annoyance slipped away with a huge grin of her own. </p>
<p>     “Any idea?” Kristoff asked, and Anna shook her head in confusion. She caught her sister's face slowly morphing into a loving smile at her laughter, and her cheeks flushed. Maren had fully won over her little sister that was for sure; she never laughed like that around other people, and Anna knew it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Back at the house, Maren looked much less comfortable. They were in the stables, and Kristoff was explaining the horses' names, likes, and dislikes to Maren. Elsa was watching Maren’s reactions carefully, using her own tricks against the woman to figure out why she seemed so uncomfortable. It took a few minutes, but when Kristoff told her to touch one of them and she shook her head all too quickly the realisation hit her. Maren was afraid of horses. </p>
<p>     “Hey.” She said after Kristoff had introduced her to both Sven and Bruni, and Anna had taken up his attention again. </p>
<p>     “Hey!” Maren said, shoulders clearly tense. </p>
<p>     “You could have told me you were scared of horses.” Elsa said cockily, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms. Maren froze, looking like a child who got caught lying. </p>
<p>     “I’m no-” She jumped when one of them huffed on her. “Okay maybe a bit. I’ve just never been this close to one before. We didn’t really get access to horses as kids.”</p>
<p>     Elsa thought through a few things very quickly. Her first thought was that Maren was adorable, and she realised that she had thought that far too many times in one day. The second was that she wanted to wrap her arms around her waist, but that she shouldn’t do that. The third, and most important, was that she wanted to help Maren get over her fear. However that would require her to get very close to the woman, and be intimate again. Concern and logic fought for a few seconds, until she once again told herself that this week was her chance to do these things before she cut herself off. </p>
<p>     “Come here.” She said, face expressionless as she reached out a hand to Maren. Maren blinked, and stared at the offered palm like it was something alien. </p>
<p>     “What are you going to do?” Maren asked, placing her hand into Elsa’s carefully.</p>
<p>     She led them back to Bruni, stopping in front of him. Sven was Anna’s horse, but Bruni had been hers for years, and they had a special kind of bond as he hated being ridden by anyone other than her. His pale hair looked almost golden in colour, but in the sunset it looked like fire, making it her favourite time to ride him. </p>
<p>     “Bruni wasn’t treated very well by his previous owners. He wasn’t kept with his family, and he didn’t have enough food.” She watched Maren look at the horse a little differently. Her aim was to make Maren understand him a bit better, and although her arm tensed as Elsa lifted their conjoined hands up in front of the horse, she didn’t pull away. </p>
<p>     “He loves the snow.” She moved behind Maren a little, wrapping her free hand around her back to hold her hip. Maren breathed in, back straightening at the touch. “And he likes to trot in circles around Sven.” Elsa breathed into Maren’s ear, earning her a small gasp. She raised their hands up a little more, and Bruni began to sniff at them for food. His soft lips brushed over Maren’s palm, and her fingers. She kept their hands there for a few seconds, until he realised no food was too be found and huffed. </p>
<p>     “He loves it when you scratch the side of his face.” She continued, guiding Maren’s hand round to the side of his head. Maren had stopped breathing, and Elsa hugged closer to her for comfort. “Just… here.” She laid their hands on Bruni’s hair, and the horse turned his head to give them better access, knowing that he would be getting scratched. </p>
<p>     Maren slowly took the initiative, giving Bruni a few tentative scratches. Elsa smiled, and released her a bit at a time, until Maren was petting him completely of her own volition. </p>
<p>     “See. Harmless.” She said, and Maren smiled, slowing her hand after a minute.</p>
<p>     “He doesn’t feel like he looks. It’s kind of nice.” Maren said, taking a step back for safety nonetheless. They looked over to the others, and Elsa was surprised to see Anna had prepped Sven for riding. Her sister was watching them out of the corner of her eye with a smile, which made her feel nervous all of a sudden.</p>
<p>     “I didn’t realise you were planning on riding now?” She said, looking up at her sister as she hopped onto the saddle. She raised an eyebrow at the idea of riding in shorts, knowing it would undoubtedly hurt, but for the sake of a very short ride she decided to let it be.</p>
<p>     “Kristoff wanted to see me ride. You coming too?” Anna asked, looking between Maren and her. </p>
<p>     “Maybe next time?” Elsa replied, sensing Maren’s discomfort. Anna looked back to Maren with a playful grin. </p>
<p>     “You get to ride behind my sister.” She said with a wink, and Maren frowned. Elsa was about to tell Anna off, but Maren replied first. </p>
<p>     “Can I? Ride with you?” She asked, and Elsa blinked a few times. Was she really going to sit on the back of a horse she was scared of just to be close to her?</p>
<p>     “You want to?” Elsa asked quietly, making sure she didn’t feel pressured. </p>
<p>     “You rode on my bike. It’s only fair.” She shrugged, a smile forming despite the deep frown of concern. </p>
<p>     They let Anna and Kristoff head out first, so Elsa could take her time setting up Bruni and showing Maren how to mount him. She managed to get onto him surprisingly well, considering it was her first time, and she was incredibly nervous. Elsa hopped up more gracefully, and sat in front of Maren, as she was shorter and needed to see. Luckily she kept her riding boots in the stables with their helmets, as she would not have wanted to try and mount him in heels. Maren’s arms slipped around her waist as soon as she could, pressing their bodies tightly together. She sighed in pleasure at the feeling, and wondered how Maren had managed to drive the bike safely if this was how it had felt that night. </p>
<p>     “So…” Maren started as Elsa led Bruni out onto the field, her voice a little shaky. “First day of courting. How am I doing so far?” </p>
<p>     “Well I think Anna has an unhealthy level of investment in your attempts to win my affections. So that’s a good start.” Elsa said, careful to keep her own emotions more tightly guarded. Maren seemed unsurprised by her side-stepped answer, chuckling. Her arms tightened around her in response to Bruni’s pace increasing. </p>
<p>     “She seems to be getting along with Kristoff pretty well.” Maren replied a little breathlessly. </p>
<p>     “She does. Hopefully she’ll give him a chance.” She cast a glance over to her sister, who was merrily guiding Sven into a quick walk, Kristoff running alongside them with a huge grin. She didn’t think she had ever seen him so happy, and Anna’s joyous laughter and slightly flushed face suggested she was enjoying her time with him too. </p>
<p>     “I know you probably don’t care about my opinion, but I think you’re doing a great job with her.” Maren said, and Elsa could feel her grip loosening just a fraction as she settled Bruni into a steady pace. </p>
<p>     Elsa didn’t respond for a moment. Her role as a sibling had been blurred together with one of a parental figure since her mother had died, and she always worried she wasn’t doing a good job at raising her. She had been too young to know how best to look after her, only fifteen at the time, and with their father ignoring the red-head, she was the only real influence the girl had.</p>
<p>     “You think so?” She asked quietly. </p>
<p>     “Yeah. I’ve seen a lot of kids in situations like this get taken away, but you’re doing amazing.” Maren said it matter-of-factly, but it made Elsa tense. The idea of Anna being taken away from her was unfathomable. Even in the worst time of their lives she couldn’t have coped without the girl, and she knew Anna couldn’t have dealt with yet another upheaval of family dynamics. The whole idea made her shiver uncomfortably. </p>
<p>     “When I was about eighteen, I thought about running away with her to find her mother.” She confessed, and Maren fell silent. Elsa kept her eyes forward, navigating Bruni around the outskirts of the grounds. “Bethany, her mother, was my baby-sitter for years. I didn’t know my father was having sex with her on the side though…” She rolled her eyes. “She must have been around twenty when she got pregnant, and as <em> soon </em> as my father noticed the bump he fired her. I’m not really sure about the specifics but I’d assume he had asked her to terminate and she refused, so he kicked her out. He obviously didn’t factor in that she was young and poor, and even with his child support payments she couldn’t look after Anna on her own while working. She showed up one day and told him he had to take her or the adoption agency would. My mother immediately took her in, without even a bad word to Bethany. Anna missed her so much, not that she remembers much about it now, but my mother loved her the same way she loved me up until she died. I found out after that she and Bethany had kept in contact, sending photos and stuff. I thought maybe if we showed up she might take her back in, but she still didn’t have any money and father would have been livid.”</p>
<p>     “Your mother sounds wonderful…” Maren said softly, and Elsa felt her throat tighten. She hummed, not ready to discuss her just yet. She felt lips press a soft kiss into her neck, and she jumped, but luckily it didn’t spook Bruni.</p>
<p>     The conversation shifted after that, turning lighthearted as she showed Maren a few tricks Bruni could do. The woman was impressed, but her nerves were visible, so after a while she headed back to the stables. Anna and Kristoff were still out on Sven, so she took to brushing Bruni while Maren looked around. At one point Maren stopped, staring at something on the wall, and Elsa frowned. Tilting her head she felt a tingle shoot through her as she realised what had captured Maren’s attention. Her hand stilled its brushing, watching in rapt fascination as Maren reached out to gently touch one of her riding crops, eyes glued to the shining leather. </p>
<p>     The instant Maren picked it up fully, resting the leather on one palm as she gripped the rod between nimble fingers, her breathing became laboured. Her heartbeat picked up, body growing hot as she imagined how it would feel to have Maren using that on <em> her </em>. She bit her lip subconsciously, thighs tightening against the unexpected hit of arousal. </p>
<p>     When Maren’s eyes drifted down to the ring of rope on the floor, a slow grin forming on her face, Elsa heard herself let out a small moan. Though the rope wouldn’t be usable in reality, the <em> idea </em> of being tied up by the brunette was hot enough. Her small sound caught Maren’s attention, and their eyes met, a burning intensity flying between them. The air was thick and still between them for a few seconds, but just as Maren turned as if to head over they heard the sound of hooves returning to the stable. Elsa forced herself to breathe, and Maren turned away with a smirk, putting back the crop. </p>
<p>     “Hey guys!” Kristoff said in a funny voice, hand moving Sven’s mouth as he did so so it seemed like the horse was mumbling the words. It didn’t look remotely convincing but Anna seemed to find it funny, chuckling at his impression. Elsa and Maren threw each other a look, the tension between them still thick. Elsa wasn’t sure how she would survive being around her much longer with that image swimming in her brain. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Special Mention to Artemitena - I loved reading your analysis! You're definitely correct when you say that although Elsa claims to not associate her issues with her sexual-ness, she does have issues with power that she takes out in a sexual way. Just because she knows she doesn't get any kind of ptsd response from S+M experiences, doesn't mean they aren't a subconscious issue. Obviously all we see is the characters THOUGHTS, so if THEY don't know something then of course we don't either. She needs to feel in control, and although she prefers to give power sexually, she sometimes needs to feel secure and so has to take over. It depends on how safe she feels. In the last smut scene, she was in her head about her father and feeling out of control.<br/>Also, you brought up her previous relationships, and that you were curious how they worked if she is so surprised by fluff. Well, she's never actually been in an emotionally committed relationship. She has had `girlfriends`-ish but not in the healthy relationship kind of way, hence why she's okay with a lot of the relationship concepts but others freak her out.</p>
<p>Samantha - The 3:15 smut might not happen, but there is more smut in this fic don't worry. And I might just do a one shot with more smut anyway for fun one day. Its surprisingly fun to write.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: Sexual content (NOT SMUT)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 25</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Movie night was torturous. She’d organised to have pizza delivered for five o’clock, and they started watching a film early so they could separate before people got tired. Which would have been fine if it wasn’t for the fact that Anna had insisted each couple shared a blanket. Maren’s hand had sat respectfully on her lower thigh, thumb rubbing the skin in a more than sensible way, but her head was filled with images of the same hand holding the crop, and of Maren doing all sorts of things to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her sibling protectiveness kept her on watch over Anna and Kristoff, but he had sat stiffly on the sofa the whole time, getting flustered when Anna had laid her head on his shoulder. She didn’t need to worry about him it seemed, which was great, but once again it left her at the mercy of her traitorous mind. She couldn’t tell if Maren was having the same problem, or even if she was aware of Elsa’s predicament, until the younger two slipped away to use the bathroom and then grab drinks for the group.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren pulled the hand on her thigh up to drape the arm around her shoulders, replacing it with her other hand instead. She turned to meet the hazel eyes staring back at her, heart racing as she took in the knowing smirk and raised eyebrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you not like the movie?” Maren asked, leaning in close so she could keep her voice down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It’s okay.” She replied, swallowing thickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh really? Because you seem to be a bit distracted?” Her hand stroked up an inch, shifting so it was resting with her fingers grazing the sensitive skin on the inside of her thighs. Her breathing became shallow, pelvis clenching once subconsciously at the light touches.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Not at all.” She said, but it didn’t sound remotely convincing, even to her own ears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No?” Maren’s hand slid up under the hem of her loose shorts, and she sucked in a breath, struggling to maintain eye contact with the woman. When Maren’s thumb brushed over her underwear she felt a rush of heat flood to the area, making her fists clench. She flicked her eyes to the entrance to the kitchen, and Maren noticed, bringing a knee up so the blanket was lifted away from her lap, just in case the others came back before she could retract her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren curled her thumb around the edge of her underwear, slipping the digit under the cotton to run it through the very obvious arousal that had formed there. She couldn’t hold back the shaky gasp, nor the tiny whine that slipped out when Maren pressed down on her clit lightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It feels like you’re lying.” Maren purred, smirking a little and breathing slow and deep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>      Elsa’s eyes began to water at the effort to keep them open, heart pounding in need, but knowing that they couldn’t continue. She greedily hoped for a moment that maybe Maren might keep going anyway, but the idea of Anna coming back stopped the desire in its tracks. She could see Maren’s attention wasn’t entirely focused on her, head tilted just enough to hear every footfall as the duo made their way back downstairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her girlfr- Not girlfriend… Upped the teasing at the sound of them opening the fridge to finally get the drinks. She moved her hand to allow her middle finger to join her thumb, teasing her entrance while she rubbed gently with her thumb. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Maren…sto- ah…” Elsa whispered, voice heightening in pitch. Maren’s finger dipped inside an inch, making her gasp and subconsciously jerk her hips forward. At the sound of glasses clinking as they were picked up, Maren pulled her hand away, making sure to stroke hard over her clit once before completely retracting her hand. Anna and Kristoff reappeared, and she fought to control her breathing, smiling fakely at them as they placed the drinks down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Thank you!” Maren said chirpily, moving back to her original position. The others appeared none the wiser to what had been occurring while they were gone, which relieved her anxiety, but it certainly didn’t help the throbbing between her legs. It was uncomfortable, highly so, and she could feel her pulse pounding by her eyes as her body begged her for more…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “My turn to pop to the toilet.” She said casually, smiling lightly at her sister, and then shifting forward to prepare to stand up. Maren immediately jumped on the suspicious timing, hand squeezing once on her thigh as she leaned in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Don't you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Maren growled, voice low enough that only she could hear. The hot breath on her ear sent shivers down her spine, and then down further, leaving her already hot body burning like a furnace. Maren hid the words with a kiss to her cheek, leaning back after to let her go. She stood on shaky legs, barely able to navigate her way to the toilet. It was clearly payback, for leaving her in the same situation the night before, and although she wanted more than anything to finish herself off, she merely cleaned up a little, and headed back down to them quickly. </span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She spent Sunday reading and playing piano, and Maren didn’t contact her until late afternoon, letting her process the day before and come to terms with their situation. Though her anxieties were running incredibly high, both from Maren’s affections and the fear of her father’s incoming wrath, she found herself smiling frequently at odd memories of the dat- not date, they had shared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Monday bought with it a lot of questions about how they would navigate their courtship while at work, but to her surprise Maren seemed no different than usual. The only change in their day was how Maren had popped in with a fresh coffee for her after lunch, in exchange for a gentle kiss and a few sweet words about having a good day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Tuesday was much the same, and she realised with an amazement that Maren hadn’t told Ella. The woman had run into her, and hadn’t seemed happier or more suspicious than usual, which was telling as she could barely ever keep her emotions to herself. It made her heart swell with affection, to know that Maren really wasn’t trying to use their relationship to sway her status in the workplace, and she had rewarded her employee with an out of the blue peck on the lips at lunch before her respite group. After school, they had spent an hour together talking about books, while Elsa waited for Anna to finish her extracurricular activities. It had been fun, and casual, without any kind of sexual tension between them, even when they had kissed a little luxuriously on the sofa in her office. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     On Wednesday, she had </span>
  <em>
    <span>planned</span>
  </em>
  <span> to spend lunch with the woman, but an out of school meeting had her busy for the morning, and she ended up staying home for lunch instead, with only twenty minutes left of it as it was. She was starting to relax into the idea of Maren courting her, though she still held fast to the idea that she couldn’t keep it up long term. It had come up once in conversation, where she had said she still wasn’t convinced, and Maren had shrugged and taken it on the chin, merely saying she still had half a week left. Overall she seemed incredibly pleased with their progress, which worried Elsa more than she cared to admit. Was she giving too much away? Was she letting Maren in too deep? She didn’t want to hurt her when this was all over, but they had both agreed to this one week courting deal, so she told herself she didn’t need to feel guilty about enjoying it as much as she could. </span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Anna’s POV</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna enjoyed P.E. class more than any of the other classes she took. Since she had started running to relieve tension her fitness level had gone through the roof, making the process of doing physical activity during school more of a relaxation class than anything else. The other kids didn’t have the same mindset, and none of her friends were in the class, so she often found herself separating away as best she could to work out. Mr Oeta didn’t seem to mind her preference to work alone, if anything favoriting working with her than a lot of the other students. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Class had just begun, immediately following lunch, so even she wasn’t feeling the most energetic, sluggish after filling up on food. Since Kristoff had asked her out on Sunday after their date, he had been joining her and Belle for lunch, and she loathed having to leave him to go back to class. His floppy hair and silly humour always made her smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She jogged on the spot, limbering up and stretching out half heartedly as Mr Oeta coaxed the first batter up to hit. Eager to avoid doing too much for the first few minutes, she had chosen a spot as a fielder for the first game of rounders. No one in the other team was especially good, so other than a bit of jogging she knew she could take it easy for the first half of the class, and then go all out when it was her turn to bat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     As expected, the first twenty minutes were a breeze, and as Mr Oeta coaxed Olaf up to bat, Anna relaxed further, knowing for sure he wouldn’t hit it hard enough to worry about. She bounced on the spot, turning to look longingly towards the trees where her house could just about be seen through the thick bushes. There was a passage just through the bushes by the track next to them, and part of her wondered if anyone would notice if she slipped through and just headed home. Unfortunately she knew her sister was home, and she wouldn’t stand for that kind of behaviour, so with a sigh she put the idea aside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It wasn’t until she noticed movement through the thicker part of the trees that she wondered if her sister was late getting home. It was clearly a car, driving into the estate, and she jogged over slightly to get a better view. Dread slammed into her harder than ever before as she recognised the silver vehicle… her father’s. It made her immediately nauseous, making it hard to breathe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She turned back to the group, suddenly not caring at all about the game, and only about the fact that Elsa was at home, alone, with their father, after tricking his biggest investor off of the board. Her heart sped up, chest tightening in fear as she made a split second decision. She had to go to her, school be damned; she’d take the detention over leaving her there alone. Her feet shifted, ready to run, but a thought hit her just as hard as the fear had. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     I can’t help. But… Maren can.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Decision made, she took off, sprinting through the group and towards the school. Mr Oeta called after her, and several students laughed, probably finding her actions weird, but she didn’t care. All of her running on the tracks had finally paid off, and through her panic she felt a dash of relief that she had finally gotten to a point where she was ready to do something, even if that was just getting help. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She reached the window to Maren’s office quickly, almost slamming into it due to the speed of her running. Her breathing was growing laboured from the sprinting, but she rapped her fist forcefully on the glass, not caring at all if someone was in session. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “MAREN!” She yelled into the glass, seeing the woman jump at the sudden noise, staring at her with wide eyes. Her counsellor stood quickly, shooting over to her and lifting the window. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Anna? What’s wr-” Maren tried to ask, but Anna didn’t listen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Father. Elsa. Please!” She gasped out, hands grasping the wooden window frames in desperation. She turned, looking towards her home, fear gripping her at the distance. Even at a sprint it would take a few minutes, and she knew he wouldn’t wait. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     When she turned back to Maren, ready to cut loses and leave if she had to, she saw the panic in her eyes, and knew she would come. She didn’t wait then, pushing off and darting away again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m coming!” She heard Maren call behind her, and heard what sounded like her jumping through the window to chase after her. Anna was faster, so by the time she got to the tree line Maren was a few seconds behind. People were watching them curiously, but she ignored them, only looking back to make sure Maren saw the route she took to get through into their grounds. They breached into the fields together, panic screaming through Anna’s head louder than she had ever heard it before. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>OKAY. You guys can probably tell what the next chapter will be about so PLEASE we wary of that going into it. If you want to skip it I'll leave a brief chapter summary in the notes at the end of it. </p>
<p>Holland - You asked what music I imagined Elsa and Ella playing in Chapter 7. Well when you get here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMG1BXo8Asg  OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rMEcre4C6g</p>
<p>Mags_me - The "Studying human affection but not truly understanding it" theory is very accurate! She knows love from her mother and Anna, but romantic love is very different and she's viewing the courting process more like a work induction she can just test out and then leave.</p>
<p>Toomey - In my opinion bdsm sex can be much more intimate and loving than vanilla sex, so i'm not worried about showing that side of it, but they certainly would at some point soon. I don't think you'll see it in this fic, but it would definitely happen at some point and would be super cute :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER - Trigger Warning for Physical Abuse. For a summary of the chapter please see the end notes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 26</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     She felt strangely at peace as she stared out of the glass back door, arms crossed as she leaned heavily on the frame. Sven was busy eating, as usual, which made her smile. Lunch was over, and she knew she should head back to the school soon, but with little more than general paperwork to do for once she was struggling to find the energy. Maren was the biggest thing drawing her back to the brick walls of the Academy, but unlike her she knew the woman had a fair amount of reports to get done that afternoon. She could invite her over after work? Would that be a good idea? Anna would love it, as would Maren she was sure, but she wouldn’t be able to cook anything decent for her and didn’t want to make her feel like she had to provide for them. She sighed… courting wasn’t easy, and it seemed even harder with a deadline. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The sound of the door opening made her jump, and she blinked herself out of the daze she didn’t realise she had been in. She turned, half expecting Anna to have forgotten she was home and tried to skive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Instead she met the eyes of her father, stood tensely in the doorway. He shut the door slowly, and she stopped breathing. Every part of her being froze, as if the tiniest movement might set him off. He seemed stern as he took a few steps towards her, not looking at anything except her face, zoned in on the reason for his arrival. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Father.” She said, and despite her body being in a state of silent panic she managed to sound calm. Her heart had started to speed up, and her hands tightened around her biceps in a protective way. She wished she’d gone back to work. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Elsa.” He paused, breathing deeply as a small scowl formed. “You’ve been a busy girl while I've been away.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He knew, she was sure of it. Whether it was via Mr Isles, someone else on the board, or just due to the missing funds in his account she wasn’t sure, but it really didn’t matter. This was the moment she had been expecting for almost a week, and she told herself she was ready for it. In reality her brain pleaded with her to return to the state of a teenager again, cowering under the angry gaze of the man in front of her, but she fought against the instinct, standing as firm as she could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I had to take some steps to make the Academy safer for the students.” She said, taking a couple of steps forward bravely, not wanting to stay where she was and let him back her into a corner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Steps</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He scoffed, and the scowl pulled up into a full blown sneer. His fists were clenching, and her stomach tensed, arms finally lowering in preparation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Hans was selling drugs on school grounds.” She commented flatly, knowing her explanation wouldn’t solve anything, but hoping deep down that it might help a little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I don’t give a shit about the fucking brat, Elsa.” He advanced on her, and she felt her body take a traitorous step back, arms tensing and lifting in an attempt at defence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Dad I-” His arm shot forward, grabbing her shirt roughly and yanking her towards him with one hand. She was hyperventilating, eyes going wide in terror at the blind rage in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You lost me </span>
  <em>
    <span>thousands</span>
  </em>
  <span> because of some petty fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>child</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” He spat the words at her, voice booming loudly and making her ears pop. “One you</span>
  <em>
    <span> should</span>
  </em>
  <span> have been controlling from the start, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>useless</span>
  </em>
  <span> idiot.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He shoved her, the force of it throwing her back against the wall next to the door, head cracking back against the hard surface. It knocked the air out of her, making her eyes go dark for a second and her ears ring. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She had to force herself to focus, seeing the face of her father growing closer as he reached out again to grip at her shirt once more, with both hands this time. They were big, and when they grabbed at her they caught her flesh, pinching it and making her choke in pain. Suddenly she felt incredibly small, the man looming over her so much more powerful and physically stronger than her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I’ve given you </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Elsa. Raised you to be better than this.” He looked disappointed, but still more angry than anything else. “I thought you wanted to inherit my Academy?” He looked like he wanted an answer, so she nodded once, hearing the tiny whimper of fear slip out of her before she could stop it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Well?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He snapped, pulling and then slamming her back against the wall. It made the painful patch on the back of her head make contact again, bringing a sudden rush of tears to her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Yes! I w- I want it.” She choked on the words, longing to squeeze her eyes shut but not letting herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Her father's eyes went cold, in a way she had only seen a couple of times before, back when her mother had just died and this had all begun. His grip loosened, and she had to push her back into the wall to stay upright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I gave you an inch, and you tried to take a mile.” He said, devoid of any emotion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     His hands moved, slipping up to her throat and closing around it. Panic flooded through her, heart pounding so hard against her ribs that she thought it might break them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “When will you learn that you won’t get anywhere without me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     His fingers clenched, not giving her time to grab a lung full of air, cutting it off quickly. Her own hands flew up, gripping his wrists hard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You won’t make the same mistake next time. I’ll make sure of that, Snowflake.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He kept her pinned by the throat, unperturbed by the clawing of Elsa’s nails against his wrists. She tried desperately to suck in a breath, and when her chest screamed at her, body jerking in panic, he released just enough to let her sip in some air. For half a minute he kept her there, teasing her with the small gift of air. Tears rushed down her face, head pounding so hard it deafened the room around her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She didn’t hear the sound of the front door crashing open, but her father seemed to, releasing her suddenly to turn around. Elsa coughed on the sudden air, a sob falling free at the feeling of finally being able to breathe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     When she finally focused on the room, she felt the world slow down. Anna was grabbing at their father, and he had her wrist in his hand. She was yelling at him, though she couldn’t tell what she was saying, and for the first time in her life, she saw her father’s hand pull back to hit her. Automatically she jumped on the outstretched arm, but she was uncoordinated in her daze, and he simply whipped around, releasing Anna’s wrist to swing round and slam his palm into her face, the cracking slap stinging instantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “HEY!” A voice yelled, and Elsa’s panic grew. She looked up, finally noticing the second figure in the room. She had obviously arrived with Anna, the whole scene playing out in a few seconds. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Maren… don't…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren lunged on her father, pushing him straight down onto the sofa.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Stop!</span>
  </em>
  <span> She screamed in her mind, knowing there was no turning back from this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren’s fist threw itself into his jaw with amazing power. It continued its path after, turning his head and colliding it with the plush cushions. He coughed, and she saw blood on his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Maren!” Anna pulled her away, and she gave in to the tug, stumbling off of him, though it was obvious she wanted to do more. But that one punch was enough, and her father's eyes stared at Maren in recognition, then landed on Elsa. He sneered in disgust, pushing himself into a standing position and spitting at the floor by her feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Fucking the staff too. Pathetic.” Elsa saw Maren’s hands twitch, but she stayed still, not moving and focusing on shifting Anna behind her so she was blocking his access.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Her father left without another word, slamming the door shut behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She wanted the word to stand still for a moment, to let her process, but Anna broke free of Maren’s hold to rush to her. Maren moved forward too, but she saw red. Her lungs were burning, head throbbing, and generally she thought she might pass out soon. She had gone through all that, so that she could have a positive end result, and Maren… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maren </span>
  </em>
  <span>had stepped in and ruined it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch </span>
  </em>
  <span>me.” She shouted, though the words were muted and raspy as her throat begged for her to stop. Maren stopped in her tracks, freezing at the anger in her voice. Anna reached out to touch her arm, but Elsa shrugged it off, stepping forward to get up in Maren’s face, finger pointing accusingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>promised</span>
  </em>
  <span> you wouldn’t step in. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>promised</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, Maren.” The woman looked shocked, and hurt, and she heard Anna call out her name softly, wanting her to stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Elsa I-” Maren started, but Elsa shook her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Don't. Get out.” She said bluntly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     No one spoke, and Elsa waited, seeing the emotions play on Maren's face as she took in Elsa’s words. She was confused, hurt, then angry and resolute. It didn’t matter. Everything was already ruined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Maren left, giving her a single nod of understanding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The moment Maren was gone she felt her body give in, and Anna rushed forward as she let herself fall to the floor, leaning back against the sofa as she sobbed. She curled into her sister’s body, her entire body aching, and begging for sleep and pain relief. Anna let her cry, careful to only stroke her with the lightest touch in case she was hurt more than she could see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     When her tears dried up, she stayed still, staring blankly at the floor next to them where her father's bloody spit sat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I asked Maren to come.” Anna said, sounding as tired as she felt. Her hair felt slightly wet, so she assumed Anna had cried along with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I know... “ Elsa knew Maren wouldn’t have had any idea to come unless Anna had called after her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “She didn’t deserve that.” Her sister said softly, and Elsa screwed her eyes shut, a few fresh tears falling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I know…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Anna sighed, gripping her tighter and kissing her on the forehead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “What do we do now?” The girl asked, and Elsa sighed, sitting up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I have no idea. Father’s… I don’t think there’s any coming back from this. Maren stepping in changed everything.” She chuckled humorlessly. “But… I… I want to get her back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The realisation that the biggest loss in that moment, over the potential loss of the Academy, her father’s respect, her own self worth, nothing left her as empty as the idea of losing Maren too. She saw Anna smile, wrapping their hands together. It was odd, because she knew she still wanted all of those things back too, but she was getting too tired to fight for them anymore, and Maren didn’t want her to fight at all. She wanted her to </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop</span>
  </em>
  <span> fighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I don’t think she’s going anywhere.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter Summary: Mr Winters arrives and physically/mentally abuses Elsa. Anna arrives, and for a moment Elsa thinks he might finally hurt her as well and stops him. Maren punches him in the jaw, and he leaves. Elsa is really angry and tells Maren to "Get out." Anna holds her while she cries, and eventually she says that she wants to go and get Maren back because she actually really wants her around, even if her relationship with her father is now ruined.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 27</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa stood on shaky legs, body protesting every move she forced it to make. She wasn’t sure where Maren might have gone, but she knew she needed to find her, to apologise. Anna steadied her, but she stepped away, finding her phone and trying to unlock it. The action felt much harder than usual, her fingers not following her commands, and her concentration so far gone that she could barely remember the pass code. When the screen lit up she stared at the empty notifications bar, and felt a clench in her chest. Part of her had hoped Maren would have messaged her, but apparently not. It had only been around forty minutes, but it was enough time for Maren to have come back if she was going to. With a sigh she brought a hand to her head, shutting her eyes against the migraine that had formed in the centre of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     In a daze, she made her way to the front door, grabbing a jacket and throwing it on. She chanced a look in the mirror, the sight making her stop for a moment, shocked. A hand came up to carefully prod the slightly swollen area on the side of her face, where the sheen of red could be seen peeking through her make-up. Her father avoided her face, it was an unspoken rule between them, so seeing the mark sat so proudly on her cheekbone made her nauseous in a way she was unused to. For some reason she found her eyes glued to her reflection, fingers tracing each mark lightly as she temporarily forgot her purpose for being there at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey Elsa?” She heard Anna call from the living room, and she finally tore her eyes away from the mirror, blinking a few times before completely coming back to reality. Taking a deep breath she made her way back to her sister, finding her standing by the back door, peering out with a frown. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah?” Elsa asked, bending over to pick up her keys on her way over to Anna. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You won’t need those… she’s over there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa blinked, confused, until Anna pointed out to the treeline, where a hunched over Maren could be seen sat on the floor, head between her knees, hands pressed to the back of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh…” Elsa took a deep breath, taking in the sight of the clearly miserable woman, and then opened the back door. Anna gave her shoulder a quick squeeze as she stepped outside, unclear of what she was planning on doing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her steps felt a little unbalanced, but she managed to make her way over to the counsellor without falling or sinking into a pit of despair and anxiety. As she neared her, she frowned at the redness on Maren’s knuckles, concerned that she may have taken out her frustrations on a tree as she seemed to like to do. She paused when she was a metre or two away, and Maren stilled her breathing, slowly lifting her head to look up at her. There were tear tracks shimmering down her cheeks, and red rimmed her eyes, but she wasn’t crying anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey…” Elsa said, looking at anything except her eyes. There was a static electricity between them that made her nausea even stronger, and the silence that threatened to overtake them was too much to handle. She tried to lighten the mood. “Did you punch the tree?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren stared at her blankly for a moment, before huffing in indignation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No.” There was a beat of silence. “I kicked it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa smiled, she couldn’t help it, a breath of air leaving her at the funny response. It gave her the confidence to meet Maren's eyes, and she swallowed, forcing herself to speak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten angry. I didn’t… I didn’t mean it... I don’t want you to go.” She struggled to get the words out, partially because of the pain in her throat, and partially because of the discomfort in saying them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren didn’t say anything still, but slowly stood, stepping forward and immediately wrapping Elsa up in her arms. She froze, not breathing, arms squashed between Maren’s. The woman pressed her face into the side of Elsa’s head, sighing once. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I was so worried…” Maren said, and Elsa knew she was forgiven. She relaxed into the hug, hiding her face in Maren’s neck and gripping her shirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So was I.” She whispered, and felt her eyes burn just a little, too tired to cry again, but wanting to. “Can… do you want to come back inside?” She asked nervously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “More than anything.” Maren breathed, and Elsa could feel the nod against her hair. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren hadn’t blinked an eye as they ordered in food, nor had she commented on the wet spot on the sofa where Anna had cleaned off her father’s blood. She just sat with them, watching TV and letting Elsa slowly move to curl up next to her, and making conversation here and there, probably to check Elsa wasn’t getting too in her head about it all. She had laughed when Anna brought out a huge tub of chocolate ice cream and three spoons, bounding over to join them on the larger sofa and tucking in immediately. The ice cream soothed Elsa’s throat, but her entire body ached still. Maren seemed to notice her discomfort, and brought the hand that was wrapped around her shoulder across to rub carefully at the muscles there. She moaned, and Anna gave her a funny look at first, before seeing the action and smiling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Would you like a massage?” Maren asked dubiously. The idea of baring her body to Maren in a much more intimate way than she had done since she was a teenager scared her, but the concept of having the numerous knots and aches in her body worked out was too enticing to say no to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’d love that, if you’re sure?” She asked, and Maren smiled lopsidedly. It was clear the woman was nervous, but it made sense that she might be unsure where else she might be hurt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Anna moved over to lay on the sofa as they got up, pulling out her phone and presumably texting Kristoff. Elsa led Maren away by her hand, looking back at her now and then as they slowly made their way upstairs. She hadn’t let Maren into her bedroom yet, which she realised with a sudden spike of nerves as she pushed the door open enough for them to walk into the space. It wasn’t that there was anything particularly special about it, since her father had moved out and she had room to spread out it was mostly furnished with just her bed, dresser and wardrobe. There were a few photos here and there, a painting of a composer, a cuddly penguin toy her mother had bought her. Most everything was white, except for a few bits of purple, blue, or silver. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She turned to watch Maren take it in, the awe on her face making her smile softly. Their hands stayed intertwined for a while, until finally Maren met her eyes, leaving her feeling like a teenager taking a girl back to her bed for the first time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It wasn’t quite dark yet, but it was almost there, so she let go of Maren’s hand to light the candles she kept on her dresser. There were three of them, and they gave off a subtle lavender scent that was supposed to help her sleep, but never did. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> relaxing though, which she appreciated, especially in a moment like the one she currently found herself in. Maren moved to shut the door and pull the curtains closed, making the room darken and then light up with a yellow flickering glow as the wicks caught. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you have oils?” Maren asked, and Elsa nodded, opening the bottom draw of her bedside cabinet and pulling out a bottle, placing it on top of the white wood. Maren walked back over to her, and their eyes met. The hazel glowed gold under the candles dancing light, and it was almost hypnotising… Maren wet her lips nervously, then swallowed, raising her hands slowly to undo the first button of Elsa’s shirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Everything about Maren was passion, intensity, and knowledge, but she looked just as unsure of the deep level of intimacy and delicacy required in that moment. She knew the woman was capable, she had shown that with the children she worked with, but perhaps the difference between a platonic and romantic relationship was a bigger distinction for her as well as Elsa. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She worked slowly, struggling only for a second when she saw the first sign of a bruise, before hiding her reaction and continuing. Elsa knew that she was trying to seem unaffected for her benefit, but she didn’t mind the reaction, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> understandable after all. The patch of skin he had grabbed above her breast when gripping her shirt was the darkest of the bruises, a blue-purple spreading out over a larger area than she had expected. After a few days she knew the marks would look substantially better, but she felt sorry that Maren had to see them this bad. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She looked at the floor in shame, but Maren tilted her head up with one hand and kissed her gently, just once. Her hands pulled the undone shirt off of her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor, and Elsa automatically moved to cross her arms over her chest, feeling the hint of a blush forming. She wasn’t shy about her body, she was more than aware she was attractive, but the situation made her a little uncomfortable, and she was unused to the intimacy of being fully naked around someone she had feelings for. Maren noticed the action, clearly understanding the language, and suddenly moved away. The woman made short work of ridding herself of her shirt, then her trousers, then after a moment's thought, her bra too, leaving her in just her underwear. Elsa had seen her in just boxers before, but the sight still made her bite her lip, especially with the way the flames glow made her skin shine and the shadows her muscles created even darker. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She felt more comfortable with Maren almost nude too, and chuckled as Maren stood back in front of her and reached up to undo Elsa’s bra swiftly with one hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Expertly done.” She joked, and Maren chuckled too, quickly pulling down the zipper on Elsa’s skirt and letting it fall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “The skill comes in handy.” She winked at her, and Elsa stepped in to wrap her arms around Maren. Feeling their skin pressed together completely was heavenly, especially where Maren felt so warm to touch. It was like having her own personal hot water bottle, and she could only imagine what it would feel like to sleep with her in the bed. Maren held her tightly, less concerned about hurting her now that she could see where the places to avoid were. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Lay down.” Maren said softly, letting her go. Elsa did as she was told, laying down on her front and shivering slightly at the cold sheets after being pressed to something so warm. Maren was quick to straddle her legs, and Elsa heard her sigh in a way that didn’t sound positive. She turned her head to look back at her, which hurt a bit as the bruises got stretched, and saw the brunette frowning down at her back. Maren lifted a hand and ran it over a patch by her right hip, which was incredibly sore. For a moment she couldn’t imagine what had caused it, but then she remembered how hard she had slammed into the wall, and hummed in understanding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Let me know if I hurt you, okay?” Maren asked, picking up the massage oil and pressing it to her own stomach to warm the bottle up. Elsa nodded, propping her head up just enough on her crossed arms to be able to breathe. She felt Maren lean over, but stayed still, letting her do what she needed to to prepare. After a minute she heard gentle piano music playing and smiled, realising that she had grabbed her phone to play it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Chopin. Good choice.” Elsa said with a chuckle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I have no idea who that is…” Maren admitted. “It’s just a uh-” she leaned over to look at the screen, “`Most relaxing piano music compilation number three`.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa laughed lightly, loving how different Maren was from everyone else she was usually exposed to. Most of her sexual partners would have at least pretended to know something, but Maren wasn’t trying to impress her, and it was a breath of fresh air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’ll have to work on your music taste…” She said, hearing Maren finally opening the bottle of massage oil. The suggestion definitely made it seem like they would be spending more time together, which considering that they were supposed to reach the end of their little deal in two days time was telling of what her answer was now leaning towards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yeah?” Maren asked, not hiding the curiosity in her voice. Elsa just hummed, not giving more away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     There was a wet sound as Maren poured the liquid into her hands, and then a few seconds later Elsa felt them lay on her back. She shivered, not from the cold, but from the strange way her body reacted to the touch. Maren’s hands slid up to her shoulders, moving out and then down to coat her skin in the oil, and with every inch she touched her body longed for more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her fingers pressed into her lower back, running all the way up to her neck firmly, and she exhaled shakily. Maren seemed to know what she was doing, rubbing across each area of her back and then pressing her thumb into each knot, working it out and then moving on. She mixed it up with hard, close fisted presses, followed by warming, gentle strokes with an open palm. Her hands stayed away from her neck, and avoided the bruise on her lower back, but other than that she worked all of her back, sides, and shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She wasn’t sure if it was the candles, the smell of the lavender mixed with the earthy scent of the oils, or the fact that it was Maren who was touching her, but her entire mind seemed to go blank. Her worries faded away for a few minutes, and even the pain at the back of her head finally subsided, letting her turn her head to the side and relax deeper. Sighs and moans fell from her lips under Maren’s ministrations, and at one point, when Maren leaned forward to put more pressure into her back and accidentally rubbed against her backside, the gasp was one of mild arousal instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     When she was done, Maren leaned in to press a kiss to her shoulder, then the other, and then down her back. Her lips left burning imprints on her heated skin, and she hated the idea of Maren ever stopping. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Was that okay?” Maren asked, leaning on her forearms to hover over Elsa’s ear. She mumbled something affirmative in nature, but couldn’t bring herself to say more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren placed a kiss on her temple, and Elsa sighed, eyes still closed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you need to sleep?” Maren whispered, and Elsa hummed, feeling her head already starting to grow fuzzy with sleep. “Okay baby.” Elsa felt Maren push off of her, moving to sit on the end of the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Stay.” Elsa mumbled, not feeling even the slightest bit of concern or regret about saying it. If Maren could make her feel this relaxed and good, then maybe she could sleep better with her around. Plus, she desperately wanted to feel Maren’s warm body pressed against hers again, consequences be damned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren was silent, and Elsa finally cracked open her eyes to look at the woman. She was frowning slightly, but not in an angry or confused way. It was more like she was trying to see into Elsa’s mind and figure her out, and although it felt strange to be looked at that way she was starting to find comfort in knowing that Maren was actively trying to understand her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay…” Maren practically whispered, and Elsa sighed into a smile. “Get into bed then.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren blew out the candles and stopped the music as Elsa slipped under the covers, following swiftly behind her. She looked entirely unsure about what to do with herself, so Elsa decided to help her out, laying on her side and reaching back to grab Maren’s hand and pull it across her, hugging it to her chest. As Maren settled in she smiled to herself, the heat the woman gave off warming her to her heart. For the first time ever after her father had visited she knew she would sleep well, the worries about what might happen next lost behind the comfort Maren had given her. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I made you wait an extra day because i'm evil (that's not true i just had work meetings to prepare for etc)</p>
<p>You were all great about the last chapter, and understandably want to kill Agnarr hahaha <br/>Hopefully this is the nice, calm come down you all need.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: NSFW Content, please read in private.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 28</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     “So…” Maren began, and Elsa knew what was coming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It was Friday afternoon, and in theory their week of courting would be over in a couple of hours. They were in her office, discussing how best to deal with a child that had started acting up in classes, but the looming question had been weighing on them both all day, obvious in the subtle anxious mannerisms they were both displaying. Elsa had thought hard about it the day before, after waking up to Maren sprawled out, half on top of her, that morning. Surprisingly, she hadn’t regretted asking her to stay, nor could she lie and say she hadn’t been entirely too happy to find the woman there when she opened her eyes after a nightmare free sleep. However, there were still other factors to think about, and although Maren had definitely won her over emotionally, she had to consider her options carefully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “We should talk.” She said firmly, and Maren took a slow, deep breath. Elsa felt sorry for her. The week hadn’t exactly been the smoothest run, and her signals had been very mixed, so she probably had no idea where she stood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay.” Maren said calmly, and then shifted into a more comfortable position in the chair opposite Elsa, ready to listen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You already know that I like you Maren. And… I think over the course of this week I’ve realised that those feelings are stronger than I had initially thought. My position on not wanting to pursue a… relationship with you… has changed.” She saw Maren’s eyes widen, mouth twitching up at the corner in happiness. “However… things at the moment are so up in the air, with my father and the board and everything. I don’t think I can handle navigating a new relationship at the same time as dealing with all that, it wouldn’t be fair to either of us to try and start on such rocky ground. So before you ask me to commit to anything, I have a suggestion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Okay…?” Maren was listening carefully, the slight frown the only give away that she had been hopeful for a solid yes, instead of whatever she was receiving. Elsa was grateful that she wasn’t pushing her, because she wasn’t sure she could handle Maren being angry or upset, and she braced herself to ask her question, knowing that it might not go down well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Will you continue this? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dating</span>
  </em>
  <span> without any kind of title or commitment. I want to take it further but I just… I need to be in a stable place first. I know that sounds cruel of me, to drag you along like that, but I…” She felt a pang of desperation hit her at the idea that Maren might say no. She knew, for certain, that their relationship wouldn’t stand a chance if things fell apart with the school and her father, and she honestly thought that if they could wait it out, start at the right time, they would have a shot at something long term. Like this, she was allowed to keep Maren at a distance when she needed to, while still keeping her close by.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren looked to the side, taking a second to think over her words, and then turned back with a kind smile, sighing. “You’re not being cruel, you’re being honest, and that’s the best I could ask for. Things might not be easy for a bit, and I think it’s smart to not put extra strain on yourself. As for continuing this… it’s not the </span>
  <em>
    <span>healthiest </span>
  </em>
  <span>of ideas, but nothing we’ve done has been particularly healthy, and if it’s what you need then I’m okay with it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But</span>
  </em>
  <span>, there needs to be a point where enough is enough, okay?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa blinked. She had expected Maren to say no, to tell her she had to make a decision or that was it, and she knew she would have ended up saying yes to her, because she couldn’t lose the lifeline she had become. Yet here Maren was, accepting her offer with little more than a condition that she wouldn’t treat her like a toy she could chuck away at any point. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Of course! I’m not sure when that might be yet but, we can talk about it. Maybe over dinner? Tiana’s, seven O’clock? I can pick you up from yours?” She rushed the words out, in a way that felt very unlike her, and Maren smiled widely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Perfect.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     “You sure about this?” Maren said breathlessly, moving her lips across to kiss hotly at Elsa’s neck. Anna was at Kristoff's for the evening, leaving them entirely alone. Another week of `dating` had passed, with no moves made by her father as of yet, and the whole situation had gone far smoother than Elsa had expected it to. Her bruises had mostly faded away, except the one on her chest which was still a green colour. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Yes! Please.” She moaned, still catching her breath after their heated make-out session moments earlier on the sofa downstairs, and then in the kitchen, and against the wall. Maren groaned quietly in response to her begging, walking her backwards until the back of her legs hit her bed. Their lips found each other again, moving passionately for a few seconds until Maren leaned into her, throwing her purposely off balance and pushing her down onto the bed. They shifted back enough so Maren could crawl on top of her, one thigh pressed between Elsa’s legs. She ground up into the sudden contact, throwing her head back and to the side so Maren could continue kissing and nipping at her neck. Maren had learnt how much pressure caused a hickey on her skin, which made for a tantalizing game where she would bite and suck hard enough to have her gasping in pleasure, but stopping just before she left a mark to move to a new spot and repeat the process.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa wrapped her arms around Maren’s waist, fingers pulling at the fabric of her shirt when she moved to suck on her earlobe. Her hips moved needily against the thigh between hers, stomach swirling with intense desire. She wanted to tell Maren to just get on with it, to stop teasing her with kisses and </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch</span>
  </em>
  <span> her, but she knew what was coming if she was patient enough, so she bit her lip and exhaled shakily, almost forgetting to breathe back in afterwards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Hands began to undo the buttons of her shirt, and Maren’s lips pulled away as she sat back slightly to see what she was doing. Elsa went to do the same for Maren, but her hands were swatted away and pushed down before she so much as touched the fabric. She groaned, wanting to get the woman naked, but at the raised eyebrow she received in judgment she bit her lip, her own brows twitching in curiosity. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No touching.” Maren told her firmly, a small smile playing at her lips. She was having fun already. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Or what, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Nattura</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” She quipped back sarcastically, playing the game, and Maren’s lips drew up slowly, eyes darkening. The woman finished undoing the last button, placing one hand next to her head and then bringing the other to her jaw, gripping firmly and turning her head to the side, leaning in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wouldn’t you like to know?” The words were husked directly into her ear, the hot breath of them sending shivers down her spine and between her legs. She gasped, neck craning away from the feeling despite how good it felt. Lips kissed down her neck again, onto her chest, and she automatically reached up to touch Maren's shoulder. The woman chuckled, and then lifted her hand to pull Elsa’s away, pinning it back down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     No touching… </span>
  </em>
  <span>She remembered suddenly, and fought against her desires to reach out again, bringing both hands up above her head slightly. Maren slipped off of the bed, and the realisation hit her too late what was happening, until she felt her legs get pulled forward sharply, bringing her butt to the edge of the bed. She yelped at the movement, looking down with wide eyes at the grinning face staring down at her while quickly moving to pull off her skirt. She lifted her hips to help Maren get it off, not that she really needed the help, and then suddenly Maren was on her knees between her legs, diving straight in to kiss her underwear. Her hand shot down once again to grab at Maren’s hair, hips lifting into the heat of her face, and Maren turned to bite her thigh, pulling her hand away again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Dammit!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Elsa thought, covering her face with her hands instead as Maren continued kissing and licking over her underwear, occasionally running her tongue just under the side of it to tease her. The action drove her wild, her body responding instantly, and after the previous making out she wasn’t surprised to realise how slick her underwear already felt. Maren seemed to notice that too, moaning and breathing hotly against her, hands roaming over her thighs, gripping at them with each occasional hard press of her tongue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     When she started thrusting up into Maren’s face desperately, the woman pulled away, standing up and moving back. Elsa breathed out heavily, looking up at Maren with a need as she watched her lean down by the door. Elsa heard a zip undo, curiosity taking hold as her partner pulled something out of the bag she had brought over with her. It was a piece of thin black fabric, folded up into a thicker, long strip, and Elsa knew exactly what it would be used for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Sit up.” Maren said, and Elsa was quick to follow her command, swallowing nervously as the dominant woman came to stand in front of her, cloth held between two hands. She brought it up, and Elsa took one last look at her before it covered her eyes and was tied behind her head. The darkness made her heart beat speed up, the loss of a sense making her suddenly feel doubly sensitive. Maren pressed a quick kiss to her lips after the blindfold was firmly in place, and she trailed after the lips as they pulled away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Safeword?” Maren asked, tone husky, and loud from the closeness of their faces still. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Topaz.” She said shakily, not realising how affected she was until that moment. Feeling so out of control made her vulnerable, but she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> aroused already, and she did trust Maren, so she let herself sink into the feeling of being at the woman's mercy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Good.” She heard rustling, and realised that Maren had moved away again. She quickly raised a hand to tuck a rouge hair out of the way, and then she heard a strange noise, like some kind of fabric was rubbing against something rough. Before she could figure it out Maren spoke again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Seeing as you can’t keep your hands to yourself…” Maren grabbed one of her hands, and she felt what was undeniably rope wrap around her wrist. Her breathing stilled for a second as the material looped around, and then Maren grabbed her other hand, bringing them together and binding them. It was tight, and when Maren tugged to test the hold she automatically wiggled her wrists to test it herself, feeling a slight shiver pass through her at the realisation that it was incredibly secure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa couldn’t feel any rope trailing down, but without any hands touching her she suddenly found herself being dragged to her feet by a tug at the top of the rope binding her hands, and realised there must be some kind of hand hold above her wrists. She was walked forward a couple of steps as if by a ghost, and though she knew her room like the back of her hand, it all felt so foreign in that moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What are you doing?” Elsa said when she heard another rustle next to her, head whipping round to the noise, a mix of nerves and arousal swirling in her chest and stomach. In only her underwear and an open shirt she felt exposed, and brought her hands up to her chest, keeping them there for comfort.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I told you, no touching.” Maren said matter of factly, and Elsa felt a cold shiver run through her as she realised she was about to find out the repercussions of her actions. “You didn’t listen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     At the cold touch of something on her bare stomach she jumped, gasping quietly. It ran down to the seam of her underwear, and she recognised the feel instantly as that of a crop. There was something unmistakable about the feel of the looped leather, and as it trailed around her hips to her backside, oh so slowly, she felt her body react with excitement. Her ears began to pick up the sound of each of Maren’s footfalls as she paced in a circle around her, and she suddenly could smell the deep scent of cloves coming from the rope around her wrists.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry.” She said, and suddenly the crop shot away to return sharply onto the swell of her backside, cracking down and leaving a slight sting. She yelped, not expecting the action yet, and almost missed Maren’s words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “How sorry?” She asked, running the cool of the crop over the spot she had spanked before continuing to trail it to the other side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Very.” Elsa said, wiggling her wrists automatically, wanting to touch </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> but not being able to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The next hit came quickly, to the other cheek, and was a little harder, making her tense her backside for a second and suck in a breath. The crop ran over the area again twice, soothing it, and the warmth that lingered there afterwards sent a wave of arousal through her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don't believe you.” Maren said, and Elsa could just about hear the smile she must have worn in the lightness of her tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I am!” Elsa replied quickly, hearing the woman shift around her further so the crop was by her hip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Tell me what for.” Maren commanded, but it took Elsa a second to understand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What d-” The crop smacked against the side of her stomach, making her curl over slightly, choking on the words. It stung more than on her backside, and she squeezed her eyes closed tightly behind the blindfold, breathing quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Try again, Elsa.” This time she didn’t hesitate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m s-sorry I broke the rules!” She gasped out, and then waited expectantly for the sting of the crop, but it didn’t come. Instead, a pair of hot lips pressed against her stomach, on the opposite side to where the crop had hit last, and she moaned, feeling a rush of wetness flood between her legs. The reaction was more intense than she had expected for such little contact, and her hands dropped, accidentally brushing against Maren’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She knew immediately that Maren had lured her into the action, and that she would be punished for it anyway, which made her tense. Maren sighed, tapping the crop against her outer thigh once. Then twice. A third time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I thought you said you were sorry?” She asked, sounding disappointed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I didn’t mean to…” She relaxed a little at the seeming lack of immediate punishment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     Crack.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The hit was hard against the same area on her thigh she had been tapping. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “A-ah!” She choked on her gasp, hearing Maren move but not fully able to comprehend where she had gone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Will you do it again?” Maren asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “N-AH.” The crop smacked against her calf, not too hard, but enough to shock her. The area was surprisingly sensitive, sending tingles all the way up to her neck and fingertips. The crop trailed up her leg, making her moan and choke when it passed over her thigh again where it had landed before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No! I won-” She moaned loudly as the crop hit lightly on her inner thigh this time. “I won’t do it aga-” It pressed between her legs and her mouth dropped open, legs almost giving out at the pressure where she so desperately needed it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Once more.” Maren purred, mouth suddenly very close to her ear. Elsa’s breath was coming so quickly, heart pounding, and she whimpered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I won’t do it again Maren, please…” She was so desperate to be touched, body sensitive to the point of discomfort, and she pushed her hips forward to grind as best she could against the crop between her legs. It was removed after a second or two, and a hand came up to caress her face, before she felt breath on her lips, and suddenly Maren was kissing her. Elsa made sure to keep her hands as tucked to her chest as she could, but Maren didn’t seem to care much anymore, letting them brush over her chest as she walked them slowly backwards, until once again she was sitting on the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Move back a bit, and lay down, underwear off.” Maren said, and Elsa did as she was told. It took longer than usual, her bound hands making it more difficult, but Maren was using the time, from the sounds of it, to get something else prepared. The sounds alone, with no sight to guide her, kept her at peak arousal, and she kept wiggling her hips as the need for contact became almost too much to bear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     When the bed gave way on one side she bit her lip, swallowing in excitement as Maren moved to hover over her, knees pushing hers apart to sit her own between them. There was a tug at her hands again, and then she felt Maren’s head between her arms, lips meeting hers slowly and deeply, tongues touching, leaving her flushed and needy. Maren kept their bodies separated for a little longer, until Elsa was once again pushing her hips up to try and get contact. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Fingers danced down her stomach, leaving goosebumps in their wake, until they </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> ran through her wetness. Elsa’s hips twitched, the teasing touch too much after her previous treatment, but Maren didn’t keep her waiting, tracing over her clit for a little more than a minute before slipping two fingers inside. There was no resistance, and Elsa felt her separate the digits easily inside of her, curling them in a V shape. Her mouth was open, she realised, a silent cry begging to be made audible as her body jerked up at just how </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> it felt to have her inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “God, you’re so wet…” Maren sounded dazed, but her voice was deep with intense arousal, and Elsa finally gave in to a gasped moan when she sat her palm against her clit. She could feel the wetness in her eyes as they pressed tighter closed, head throwing itself back against the sheets. Maren rocked her hand, pushing inside and stroking over her sensitive nerves at the same time, making Elsa to bite her lip hard and choke out small needy sounds as the pleasure built.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Do you want to feel me?” Maren whispered close to her ear, sending shivers through her again, and at that moment something hard and slick pressed against her thigh. Her body reacted in a million different ways she thought, tensing in nervousness, while simultaneously reaching out in need at the idea. It felt cold and </span>
  <em>
    <span>so hot</span>
  </em>
  <span> all of a sudden, and she didn’t think she could speak anymore, yet had so many words rolling around in her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Ye-yes…” The words slipped out before she knew, and she didn’t even really feel her mouth move to make them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren moaned, loudly. Her fingers curled firmly against her inner walls, making her cry out in pleasure, and she rubbed her palm over her clit with more force. She kept the movement up for several seconds, and Elsa was worried that she might actually cum before Maren even got inside fully. Luckily she slowed when she started to gasp at the intensity, slipping her fingers out, but leaving them just playing at the edge of her entrance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     A second later, Elsa felt the hardness meet Maren’s fingers, and they moved away to guide it into place. She lifted her hips ever so slightly to help the angle, keep the rest of her body still in preparation. Though she had used toys herself before in private, she hadn’t had someone </span>
  <em>
    <span>else</span>
  </em>
  <span> use one on her, and as the phallus began to slip inside she couldn’t help the hiss of mild discomfort, her walls tightening around the tip. Maren pushed a little more despite the noise, and then paused. Elsa realised the head of it was sat inside fully, and shifted her hips slightly to get used to it as Maren moved to circle her clit with her thumb. The touch changed the feeling completely, and she felt her body relax suddenly, the shaft slowly continuing its path inside as she held her breath, choking back a gasp as she felt it stop deep inside of her. Any fears she’d had about letting Maren use a strap-on were quickly pushed aside; she had done such a good job of turning her on that she would have given in to almost anything in that moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “G</span>
  <em>
    <span>od</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” Maren groaned, and Elsa clenched at how sexy it sounded. Maren began to slowly pump her hips, pulling out only a couple of inches before pushing back inside confidently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh…</span>
  </em>
  <span>” The word slipped out on a heated exhale, the tip pressing against her in a way she wasn’t used to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>      Maren swapped hands quickly, using her more dominant one to rub at her clit faster. Elsa’s hips bucked up, and the length inside of her pushed deeper accidentally, making the darkness behind her eyes go white for a moment. Maren’s thrusts pulled back further, pushing in a little deeper after, and Elsa didn’t know what to do with herself. She felt so hot, like there was a fire inside of her and Maren was feeding it with every thrust and pant against her. The heat left her feeling damp, and a little lightheaded, and in that moment she was glad there was no need to be quiet, because she couldn’t stop the constant gasps and moans that fell from her lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You feel amazing.” Maren moaned, and Elsa could only imagine what it would be like for Marne to </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> her properly. It was easy to imagine with the blindfold, and the thought sent her careening towards the edge so fast it made her chest constrict and her body heat up even more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Fuck! Mar- I’m going to-” Maren kept up her pace, hips thrusting evenly into her, thumb rubbing at her clit in quick, hard circles. “Aah...a-AH!” Elsa practically screamed as she came, hips lifting so high she felt the tip of the shaft press against her cervix. The pressure hurt, but mixed with the force of her orgasm she couldn’t care less, arms locking around Maren’s shoulders as she brought her head up to press against her neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren changed her pace to push slowly in and out, little more than an inch or two each time, thumb slowing, but continuing to circle her clit. As her body came down from the high she crashed back down onto the bed, and Maren paused her thumb’s rubbing to reach up and take her hands. Her hips kept up their tiny pushes, and Elsa whimpered at the feeling, body protesting, but focused instead on Maren swiftly pulling on something that freed her hands. She wiggled them a couple of times, but then placed them on Maren's waist, sighing as the blindfold was then removed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     As soon as she was freed Maren returned her thumb to her clit, and she jerked her hips at the contact, sensitive and tired. Her body was tense, eyes squinting against the sudden light, but as Maren continued pushing her hips, growing in speed and increasing the pressure on her clit, it grew more and more pleasurable again. She pulled Maren’s head down, needing her closer, and she panted into her neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren kept the thrusts deep and short, but sped up to a quick pace, working fast and hard on her, until Elsa wrapped a calf around the back of one of her legs, a second orgasm building at a breakneck pace. Her nails gripped into the back of Maren’s back, making the woman hiss in pain and up the power of her thrusts. The sudden change in force sent her over the edge once more, and she dragged her nails down, back arching as she came silently, letting loose one sob and then collapsing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     She laid there, panting, at least one tear having fallen at some point if the wet line down her face was anything to go by, and Maren slowly pulled out. It hurt when the tip caught, but she still found herself coughing back a moan, and then clenching around nothing as soon as it was gone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren slipped off the strap-on, moving to lay next to her with a huge grin on her face. Elsa blinked and looked at her, smiling affectionately at the woman's red cheeks, looking about as flushed and damp as she felt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey.” Maren said, and Elsa laughed. It was light and free of any kind of burden, which made Maren’s smile wider still. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Hey.” Elsa said finally, and moved to straddle Maren quickly, making her way down her body with kisses until she was between her legs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh okay, you’re gonn-aH!” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That was the last smut, and I almost didn't write it, so enjoy it! </p>
<p>A few of you have been responding to the comments made my literaturabdsm, and they're actually interesting to talk about, so here is my take :) <br/>Firstly, Its totally understandable to judge Maren for her actions in this fic (how she lets Elsa continue taking the abuse). As a bystander Maren DOES have an obligation to try and step in, however in this particular case she's aware that Elsa would shut her out and stop any action being taken. As a counsellor that leaves her stuck between what she wants to do immediately and what she knows will help long term. This mental battle is seen in other areas too, and is a key element in this fic. I speak from experience by saying that pushing someone to speak out when they aren't ready or are still being manipulated will only lead to them pushing you away. The best thing to do, assuming its safe, is to gain their trust so they get to that point themselves. <br/>Second, Elsa's actions are typical for someone who has been dealing with (usually) mild physical and psychological violence for a long time. It becomes part of a routine eventually. At first she would have been MUCH more affected, but after years she can almost tune it out, except for on odd occasions. <br/>Thirdly, I'm aware that Elsa and Maren DO tend to have some kind of affectionate moment after an encounter with Mr.Winters, however, these events don't happen simply to spur on their romance. Elsa's backstory was developed before the plot was cemented, and plays a key part in her character's personality, and has a vital role in the plot. They react emotionally because (in some peoples case) it helps them deal with it in the moment. Its not always healthy, as discussed in the fic, but it's completely understandable, and where they have feelings for each other anyway it makes sense that they find comfort together. <br/>As an end note, I always enjoy comments that delve into ideas and perspectives like this, and people responding with differing ideas and points of view has been interesting to read as well. Thank you for reading so far, keep commenting!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 29</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa always woke up first, and it was no different that morning. The sun had poked over the horizon half an hour prior, and she had laid in bed watching it through the window, neither one of them having bothered to get up to close them after their antics the evening before. The room looked suitably messy, rope tossed on the floor next to her side of the bed, and the harness of the strap on hooked over the end of the bedpost. Maren had kicked away the covers at some point in the night, as she always did, but her arm was still wrapped around Elsa’s waist protectively. She was trying not to make a habit of letting her stay over the night, but it had happened three more times since that first night, after her father had been there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Carefully, she slipped Maren’s arm off her, sliding out from under the covers and smiling at the quiet whine that came from the brunette. When she stood she rested a hand on her lower stomach, frowning at the dull ache inside. It wasn’t an entirely new sensation, but it had been a while since she had used a toy, and the slight bruised feeling was a little unpleasant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     With a bite of her lip she picked up Maren’s boxers, throwing them on along with the oversized night tee the woman had brought to wear, but had never put on. It felt nice to be wrapped up in her, and she had to admit she wanted to see Maren in her dressing gown, which she would have to put on; unless she wanted to come down naked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa made her way downstairs, setting up the coffee machine to make her morning brew, and then quickly heading into the living room to pick up the wine glass and empty beer bottles from the night before. The sight of the notepad and pens sprawled out on the table made her grin, until she saw the cushion they had haphazardly knocked onto the floor while kissing hotly on the sofa, and the slightly askew picture on the wall where she had slammed Maren into it. It was pretty obvious they had been less than concentrated on their job, and from the keys dumped on the table next to the bottles she knew Anna had definitely seen the mess, and had probably realised why Elsa hadn’t bothered to clean up before bed like she usually did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she made short work of cleaning up the room, so at least her sister didn’t have to be reminded of it when she woke up. Despite the abrupt ending to their planning, they </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> gotten a lot done, which made her feel more empowered than she thought she had ever been. After the incident with her father, and a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long</span>
  </em>
  <span> talk with Maren that she would admit was more of a counselling session than just a discussion, she had finally admitted that her father was never going to just give in because she was doing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>good job</span>
  </em>
  <span>. In fact, she had realised with a sinking feeling that it was quite likely that her father had been playing a sick manipulative game with her the whole time, making her think he was going to give her the deeds to the school just so he could continue to use her. It wasn’t that she didn’t already know it, she just didn’t want to admit it to herself because it meant she could never escape him without losing everything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The session had left her feeling miserable, and helpless, but then Maren had given her a few minutes to digest their conversation, and had come back with a glass of wine and a grin, asking her what the plan was now, and everything had just felt… different. It had taken some time, but they had come up with an agreement: Elsa could continue trying to get hold of the school, but as her previous plan wouldn’t work she had to think of a better one, and Maren would no longer stand by about the issues with her father. It was a subtle difference really, but it changed everything; she wasn’t a victim anymore. Now with Maren at her side, her knight in slightly scruffy armour, things seemed more achievable, especially as her father seemed to not want to kick her from her position as headmistress for some reason. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The plan used her strengths, and Maren’s too, which meant they would have to work together. Elsa knew Mr Isles being gone would make her life easier, but he was one bad apple in a rotten bag... so she needed a new bag of apples. One by one she would uncover each member's dirty deeds and kick them out, all the while replacing them with other investors. Maren was persuasive and charming, able to read body language and play at people’s emotions, and Elsa gave the elegance and authority needed to seal the deal. Together they were a force to be reckoned with, and once the board was hers, it really didn’t matter if her father owned the school, as the board had more power than him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Coffee made, she leaned against the counter top, an excited energy bouncing around inside of her, and not just from the new plan. Today was the day that she would ask Maren to officially be her girlfriend. She would do it in the evening, and come tomorrow at the Academy she would arrive with her hand in Maren’s, ready to show the woman off as her partner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It had been Ella who had made her see sense about it all. The day before, during their Friday practice session, she had called Elsa out on what was going on with her and Maren, unaware of the specifics, but suspicious nevertheless. With no reason to shut her out anymore, she had spilled everything, her smile huge, as Ella teared up and almost squealed in joy. She had completely understood not putting pressure on either of them by keeping their relationship a casual one, getting that their situation was rather messy. However, the conversation had made her realise that it didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> messy anymore. Sure, it was still a bit all over the place, but her plans now included Maren, and she wasn’t burdening her to watch as her father treated her badly anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Taking in a long breath, holding it for a second in her lungs before letting it go, she tapped her phone to light up the screen. Three emails and two texts. It was more than she expected for a Saturday, especially with Maren currently in her bed upstairs, but reading the names of the people texting she simply rolled her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Anna, </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t want to know if you fucked on the sofa. But if you did, I hate you both.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ella, </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t wait to see you two being all cute on Monday! Good luck! X</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     She sighed at both of the messages, marking them both as read and choosing to not reply. Clicking open her emails she frowned deeper, more than a little confused by the three names that popped up. She opened the oldest first, thumb tapping at the mug of coffee absentmindedly. The email was CC’d to her father, which worried her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Winters,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Due to recent events, I will be withdrawing my investments to the Academy. I request to be removed from any and all documentation effective immediately. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Sincerely, </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mr Adam Lawrence.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Mr Lawrence was a lesser member of the board, and as an ex convict she couldn’t say she was sad to see him go, but the reasoning concerned her. Recent events could mean Oliver’s suicide, but it was unlikely after several months. It was more likely that Mr Isles had spoken to him and paid him off to pull out. She gritted her teeth, moving on to the next email.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Winters, </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Starting from next week my son and daughter will be moving to a different school. We appreciate all you have done there, but we no longer feel it is appropriate to continue their schooling with you. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mrs Gallager</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     That gave Elsa pause. Mrs Gallager… Shawn and Leslie were her children she was sure. Shawn was in his second to last year, so it was odd to move him at that time, especially so close to the end of the year, but she didn’t know much about Leslie, so couldn’t pass judgement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The final email made her press her thumb into the mug hard, nerves ruining the beautiful morning instantly. Her father. He emailed her relatively frequently, but he hadn’t spoken to her since he had visited, and she couldn’t help the fear that maybe he was finally going to do something that would ruin her plans. She hesitated before clicking it, wondering if she should ignore it until the next day, so she wouldn’t ruin her time with Maren, but knew she wouldn’t relax until she had read it. Holding her breath, she opened it. There was no heading, no name, no `yours sincerely`... just one sentence and a link. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Look what you’ve done. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Link</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Confused, she clicked the link, the email taking her to a news article from a well known outlet. Scrolling, a picture of Arendelle Academy popped up, and dread filled her as she read the headline. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>The secret damage private schools do to children.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The truth about how private academies hide the abuse, anxiety, and mental health issues of our children, as seen by an insider at Arendelle Academy.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa forgot about her coffee as she read through the article, her body cold and numb, as if filled with ice. Her heart was pounding, skipping beats in a painful way every now and then. The article was long, undoubtedly a double page feature in the paper, and it was filled with all kinds of information about both her own Academy, and a couple of others. Oliver was mentioned a lot, and other children were referenced, not by name, but she recognised them by their issues. There was a whole section dedicated to her, and in particular how the headmistress herself had been, and was</span>
  <em>
    <span> still</span>
  </em>
  <span> being, abused mentally and physically by her own father. It was incredibly personal, and she felt more vulnerable in that moment than she had ever felt before. The whole article was damning: it spoke of how the board hadn’t hired a counsellor despite the headmistress asking, it mentioned the drug use within the school due to the intense pressures to get good grades, it referenced the parents, and how they would essentially pay to create an elitist environment for their kids. All over it was a mess, and it was all too obvious who the informant was. The article was written by none other than Ryder Nattura, and the insider was undeniably Maren. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It was hard for her to feel anything at all after she finally locked her phone and put it down. She wouldn’t cry, because that would be admitting that she was hurt, and she couldn’t let herself show that. The clothes she was wearing suddenly made her skin itch, and she desperately wanted to get them off, but the comfort of them lingered despite it all, so she just sat there, not knowing what to do or feel. She had trusted Maren, and she had </span>
  <em>
    <span>proven</span>
  </em>
  <span> that trust was well placed, but then… It had to be a mistake. Perhaps Maren didn’t know her brother was writing the article? That question gave her a spark of hope, but then she thought back over everything. All the out of placed questions about Oliver, the reason for her being in the school to place the blame, not wanting to have sex with her for some unknown reason… she</span>
  <em>
    <span> knew</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was obvious she knew, and had been a part of it from the start. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The betrayal finally started to reach her, and it took everything she had to quell the threat of tears, and to close her throat around the pain of a sob that wanted to break free. Instead she focused her energy on her anger. It didn’t matter anymore what Maren had done to help her, because now she didn’t stand a chance anyway. There was no way people would continue to pay to send their children to the academy after their name had just been dragged through the mud, the parents cared far too much about their reputation for that. It was over. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa sat at the counter for almost an hour, until eventually the sound of footsteps on the stairs sounded. She had re-made a coffee, and was finishing drinking it, a feeling of calm having overcome her. Maren walked in groggily, and then smiled when she saw Elsa, making her way over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Morning beautiful.” She placed a kiss on Elsa’s cheek, then stopped, realising Elsa wasn’t acknowledging her presence. “Are you okay?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa didn’t speak, but unlocked her phone and slid it in front of the woman. Maren frowned, and Elsa didn’t bother to watch her as she read the article, not caring what her defence would be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Oh shit…” A couple of seconds passed as Maren scrolled through the highlights of the article, trying to grasp everything in it. “No, no- Elsa- I didn’t…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Miss Nattura, you did.” Elsa finally turned her head, and took in the sight before her. Maren was indeed wearing her dressing gown, and she paused for a second as she fought the pain in her chest at how right she looked in it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “This wasn’t supposed to come out.” Maren pleaded, putting the phone down and trying to step closer. Elsa stood quickly, taking a step back from her. “Elsa I promise, this wasn’t supposed to come out!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “But it did.” She deadpanned, and crossed her arms over her chest. She was hyper aware that Maren could read her body language, and made sure to come off as angry and defiant, not upset and vulnerable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I-I’m so sorry.” Maren was breathing quickly, panic clear on her face, and Elsa told herself to ignore it. She couldn’t bear seeing Maren hurt because it only made her own pain worse. She turned her feelings into rage, letting it overwhelm her so she could stop the other feelings taking hold. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What did you hope to achieve?” She spat at the woman, taking a small step closer to glare at her. It was hard to meet her hazel eyes, but she did it anyway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I-” Maren’s eyes grew glossy and Elsa clenched her jaw. When she replied, it was breathy and unsure. “I... wanted people to see the truth.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What </span>
  <em>
    <span>truth?</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” She yelled, throwing her arms up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>know!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Maren yelled back, pushing back her hair in panic as her finally tears began to fall, brows knitted together against her emotions. “I told him to stop!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa paused, feeling herself losing control. Her throat was tight as it closed up, and she didn’t know if she could talk without giving in, but she was practised in the art after years of being `daddy’s Snowflake`. The tension in her stomach made the ache in her lower abdomen throb, and the memory of Maren touching her, kissing her, being inside of her the way she had been… </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She felt sick. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “It wasn’t supposed to be published, Elsa. I tried to stop it.” Maren pleaded, trying to take her hand. Elsa turned slightly so she couldn’t capture it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “When?” She asked, and her voice trembled just slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Wha-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>When</span>
  </em>
  <span> did you stop Maren?!” She cried out, giving in to one last hope. The day they kissed, that day at the pub things had changed between them. If that had woken her from her haze of grief and anger then maybe, just </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span>, there was some kind of hope… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I… Elsa I wasn’t thinki-” Maren started.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “</span>
  <em>
    <span>WHEN?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Elsa yelled, and her eyes filled up with tears, the fear in Maren’s face telling her to not bother hoping for a positive answer. There was a noise, and out of the corner of her eye she spotted Anna appear in the doorway, silently staring between them, but she didn’t let her gaze deviate from Maren’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “After the memorial.” She confessed, and Elsa’s heart stopped. After the memorial… She took several slow breaths, feeling a cold shiver run through her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “So you got involved with my father, counselled Anna, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucked</span>
  </em>
  <span> me… while reporting everything back to the press?” Her voice dripped with anger, any sadness she had felt gone with the realisation that Maren had used not only the school, but her own feelings. It was disgusting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “What?” She heard Anna whisper, but she didn’t look at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No, that’s not… It was only supposed to be about the students…I just wanted…” She trailed off, voice wobbling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You wanted people to hate the rich just as much as </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> do. Blame the school, blame </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> for Oliver dying, because you couldn’t cope with the fact that you weren’t enough. Well congratulations. People are pulling out investments already, parents are pulling out their kids. You brought down one school of many, job well fucking done.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren looked hurt, shoulders sagged in resignation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “No. Please… Elsa I-” She choked a little, bringing a hand to her face as her tears flooded down. “I n-” She went to continue, to say something, but the desperation in her eyes was too much, and Elsa stopped her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Don’t.” She wasn’t sure what Maren was going to say, but if it was anything about having fallen for her, about needing her, then she knew she would break. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Elsa.” Maren whispered, but she didn’t continue. There was nothing left to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Get your stuff. You’re fired. I never want to see you again.” She saw the despair cross Maren’s face, and looked away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren stood there silently for a couple of seconds, before turning and heading upstairs. When she was out of sight, Anna tried to walk over to her, but she held up a finger, stopping her dead. She needed to wait until Maren was gone before she could explain, lest she break down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Maren returned a few minutes later, fully dressed and bag in hand. She walked over to Elsa, staring at her, waiting for any last words, but Elsa had none to give. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “I’m sorry.” Maren whispered. “I really do care about you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Just go.” Elsa shut her eyes, finally feeling her tears beginning to fall, and needing her gone. She heard Maren throw her bag over her shoulder and then move away, footsteps fading until she heard the door open and close. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     The second she was gone Elsa’s chest tightened, unable to breathe suddenly. She gasped, throat closing as her body began to shake, vision blurring as her tears covered her eyes. Her mouth stretched as a sob finally broke free, and she leaned against the counter heavily until her legs gave out and she let herself fall to the ground. Anna rushed over, and her eyes were wide with shock and confusion. The shirt she wore taunted her with the alluring scent of her ex lover, and she couldn’t help herself from gripping at it, wishing desperately to rewrite everything, to delete what Maren had done and have her back, but she knew nothing would ever change what had happened. It was done.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     Parents pulled out their children over the next few days, until a third of the student body had transferred elsewhere. Investors were cutting ties, and her father hadn’t even bothered to visit and teach her a lesson. There was no point after all, as the school was beyond saving, and he didn’t need her if there was no school. The only communication she had had with him was a short email a few days after the article had been published.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Elsa,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Arendelle Academy is no longer a viable business option and as such it will be going up for sale imminently. As you will no longer be my employee I will no longer be sending you payments as such. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Sincerely,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mr Winters</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     There was nothing personal about the email, and she understood it for what it was, an end to their relationship. Luckily, he legally had to pay enough to keep Anna fed and clothed, but it would barely be enough if Elsa couldn’t get another job soon, as her father’s version of wages was simply giving them a card that would pay off anything they bought, but that would be cut off and she had no savings. Kristoff had persuaded his parents to adopt Sven and Bruni, and she was happy Anna would still be able to see them through him. Her plan was to sell the house, but despite it being in her name, her father still owned a percentage, which left them with enough to buy something small and then live off the rest for a while. They would manage, she was sure, but it was a long shot from the life they had known. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Her phone rang, and she almost ignored it, too tired to bother. She was sitting at her desk in the academy, staring at the battered book she used to love, but could no longer bring herself to read. She needed a distraction though, so she picked it up on the last ring with a sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “You’ve reached Elsa Winters.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Ahh, Miss Elsa! I’m glad I caught you.” The voice made her brows raise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Mr Dickens?” She asked, and the man chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     “Indeed. Now, I have something to discuss with you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Elsa listened to the man with curiosity, and as he explained his reasoning for calling, her eyes went wide with shock. Her tapping finger stopped, and she held her breath. Things might not be entirely over. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so sorry. I honestly feel really bad for doing this, but it's been planned since the start...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 30</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Maren poured the pint with practised precision, watching the head rise a fraction above the top of the glass before releasing the pump. She slid the glass onto the bar next to its matching pair, forcing a smile at the middle aged man who was clearly eyeing her up, and took his money. He didn’t leave a tip, but flashed her a wink and a “cheers love” before waddling off to his friend. Her jaw clenched as she practically threw the money in the till and slammed the register shut. The sound of his throaty laughter made her groan, and she glared at him from behind the bar, hands gripping hard at the stained wood. </p>
<p>     “Glaring at him won’t make him any less annoying you know?” Her boss said, and she flashed him an apologetic smile, turning around and leaning her hip on the bar instead. He took a sip of the protein shake he seemed to have glued to his person, his short ginger hair quiffed perfectly as always. </p>
<p>     “Sorry Lucas. I’m just… not in the mood for it today.” She said, crossing her arms as he bent down to organise some paperwork in the draw under the bar. </p>
<p>     “Uh-huh” He chuckled, lifting back up and cocking an eyebrow at her. “You never are. Look, Maren, you’re smart, and great at your job, but you really need to stop letting yourself get so worked up over jack-asses. I’m not going to tell you to bat your eyelashes or lower your top like some sexist pig, but a bit of politeness wouldn’t be misplaced.” He batted her arm with the papers he had picked up, grinning at her before turning around and heading upstairs to his flat. </p>
<p>     Maren sighed. Lucas was one of the better bosses she had worked for, funny, charming, and thanks to his girlfriend’s influence he was very vocal about women's rights. However, being a bartender was certainly not her calling, and the months she had been there had been the most boring of her life despite his entertaining personality.</p>
<p><em>      Almost four months </em>… she thought with another sigh, moving to serve an older gentleman as he approached the bar. It felt strange, that she had been away from Arendelle Academy for longer than she had ever even worked there, and she was starting to find that it felt more like a dream than a memory. It hurt her every time she tried to think back to the days she had spent with Elsa, the image of her already growing distorted. She still remembered the important things, like her laugh, the way she moved, her voice… but she hadn’t had enough time to memorise the freckles on her body, nor had she seen her play the piano enough to remember any of the music she favoured, besides the fact that she liked Chopin. </p>
<p>     The aftermath of her and her brother's betrayal had been far worse than she had imagined. A day after the reveal she had received texts from her friends, angry that she had cost them their jobs, and she had sent the same “I’m sorry” response to each one. It wasn’t enough, but nothing would be, so it was all she could do other than just let them move on. Ella had been heart broken of course, calling her to ask her why, and to guiltily say that if she had known <em> that </em> was what she meant when she was worried about Elsa’s attentions then of <em> course </em> she would never have supported her making a move. </p>
<p>     The school had shut down, and she knew that the amount of students enrolled in nearby private schools had gone down for the next year too. If she knew the outcome back when Oliver had first died she would have cheered and patted herself on the back for a job well done, but now the whole thing left her feeling ashamed and disgusted. Directly ruining lives because of a bad system hardly counted as a success. Everyone in the board had simply moved on to other jobs and were left unaffected, but the teachers, students, parents, the headmistress… they had been uprooted and left struggling. </p>
<p>     Maren closed her eyes, wishing her shift was over so she could get on her bike and just ride for a bit. Ryder was busy for the night so she didn’t need to worry about him calling her again. It had taken a while to forgive him completely, but after talking to him and then spending some time apart things were almost back to how they were before. Except for the incessant phone calls making sure she was okay that is. The fight with Elsa, and the fight with her brother were both seared into her memory forever, alongside Elsa’s beaten body and Oliver’s funeral. They were a constant reminder of her mistakes, and she had resigned herself to live with them as a kind of punishment. Her fist flexed with excess energy, and she grimaced, the slight sting of the previous injury still lingering. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>      “Ryder!” Maren yelled, slamming her fist on his front door hard enough to get the attention of the people in the corridor. “Ryder! You fu- Open the </em> door <em> !”  </em></p>
<p>
  <em>      It flew open, and the anger swimming inside of her boiled over at the look of fear on his face. It was immediately obvious he knew what this was about, and she ground her teeth. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I’m so sorr-” He started. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Maren shoved him hard, making him stagger backwards. The wood banged against the wall as it was let go, and Maren slammed it shut behind her when she entered the apartment. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “What the fuck did you do?!” She practically screamed, voice hoarse after all the tears she had shed over the past hour. Everything had been going perfectly: she and Elsa were happy, they had a plan to win her the school, she was actually enjoying her job. But then Ryder had to go and ruin it by writing that stupid article.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry Maren..” He looked genuinely upset, standing still and awaiting her punishment, which only annoyed her further. How dare he be sorry. How dare he try and take her anger like he deserved it. How dare he do this at all. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Did you write it?” She asked, wanting to be sure. He took a breath, steadying himself.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Yes.” He met her eyes, giving her a small nod. She had seen that look before, when they used to fight as teenagers; it was an acceptance that he knew he had done wrong. They had been taught in the orphanage that if someone had been badly hurt, they could settle it with a punch and then an apology. It was far from good advice to give to children, but they had followed it as teens, and now was no different. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      She felt the rage crack under her skin, and she pulled her arm back, tears filling her eyes as she shoved him away from her and punched him. He was prepared for it, turning with the hit, but her aim was off, and as her knuckles hit his jaw awkwardly she felt the pain shoot through her hand. Her mouth opened with a choked cough, and she brought her hand back, telling herself to ignore the pain, her body throwing more and more adrenaline at her to numb it.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Her brother turned to her, eyes scrunched up in his own pain as he groaned and leaned heavily on the back of the sofa. There was blood forming at the corner of his mouth, moving along his lips as he sucked in a breath, and she had to look away, hating everything about the situation she was in. Other than Mr Winters, that was the first time she had punched someone since university, and she spun around, pressing the heel of her palm against her forehead as she fought for control over her own emotions. It took a few seconds, but eventually she turned back around, meeting his eyes. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Sit down.” She barked the order at him, and he nodded, moving around the sofa to take a seat. She followed behind him, sitting on the arm of the sofa next to him so she was higher. “Explain.”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Ryder took a deep breath, wiping away some of the blood quickly before talking. It smeared it over his mouth, which made it look worse, and she groaned, looking down and putting her head in one hand. The other was throbbing far more than it should, and she closed her eyes against everything she was feeling.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I dropped the article. Told them it wasn’t a good piece. But I’d already submitted a draft concept and they decided they disagreed. They had enough already to write something without me, so they passed it on to someone else instead. I wasn’t really worried at first because everything I’d already submitted was student focused, but they chose to give it to Mako, who was the guy that wrote the last article on Elsa. I read it when it was in for review and it was just a complete mess. He pointed the finger at Elsa again for Oliver’s suicide, and there was a load of stuff in there from another `source` about her giving students drugs to pass exams. It was all lies Maren, and it would have ruined her forever, maybe even gotten her arrested.”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Maren looked up with a frown.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Giving kids drugs? Wha-” She stopped, eyes widening suddenly. “Mr Isles. He was the one who talked with the press last time on behalf of the board, so he would have been in contact with Mako once already. Of course he’d say that to make any blackmail she had obsolete.”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Exactly. I argued that the source was lying, but they didn’t care. Said it made for an excellent story so of course they were going to run it. I know the stuff with her father was private… and you have to know that I really am sorry, but the only way they would let me take back over was if I could give them something better. So I did.”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Maren felt the anger inside her ebb away, realising that the article that might have come out under Mako would have cost Elsa much more than just her job, and would have still ruined the school anyway. She could see the pain in her brother's eyes as he tried to explain, and her body went numb as the reality sunk in.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I wrote it the best way I could. I included a lot of other schools, added as many counter points as I could, and I made sure to play Elsa off as a victim instead of someone who was at fault. If the comments are anything to go by then I think it worked.” He smiled grimly, looking sad.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Comments?” She asked. Normally she would have frowned but she couldn't feel enough to will the muscles to move anymore.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Yeah.” He pointed to the laptop sat open on the coffee table, and she realised the article was open on it. Slowly, she moved to sit next to her brother, grabbing the laptop and scrolling through each and every comment. There was a mix for sure, but most of them were positive. People villainized Mr Winters, and felt sorry for Elsa, and they actually seemed to say that although private schools were bad, it was mostly the people in power who were at fault, not the institution as a concept.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      When she had read through them all methodically she sighed, placing the laptop back down and looking out of the window lifelessly. At that point, it didn’t matter what her brother had or hadn’t done. They had been biased and angry to start with, and as much as they had both tried their best to get away from what they had done, this was the result they would have to live with.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “We fucked up.” Maren said, and they just sat there, silent. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     She had found out a day later that she had broken her knuckle when she punched her brother. It had healed relatively quickly, as had his busted lip, but after a minor bike accident it had re-broken, and was still painful if it was used too much. Maren glanced around the pub, looking for empty glasses, and headed around the side to grab a couple. It wasn’t busy, six o’clock on a Tuesday never was, but there were enough regulars to keep her occupied. It was mind numbing, serving drinks to the public and getting little more than a short conversation from each person, so she had taken to imagining funny scenarios when people came in. There was a younger couple in the corner, the man sat on his phone while the woman rolled her eyes at him, arms crossed. Her auburn hair and hunched forward shoulders reminded her of Anna, making her lips curl slightly. </p>
<p>     She hadn’t heard from Elsa at all since she kicked her out, but Anna had shown up once, a month ago. It had scared her, turning around to serve and coming face to face with a grumpy looking teenager. Lucas hadn’t been too impressed about there being an underage girl asking after her, especially in a bar, but after buying her a coke and making sure to explain who she was, he had eased off and let her take a break. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>      “What are you doing here Anna?” Maren asked, fidgeting in her chair as she glanced back at a suspicious looking Lucas. Anna didn’t look happy, arms crossed and frown plastered in place, but she was the one to come after her and not the other way around, so she told herself to just deal with it.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I need to know why you did it.” Anna said bluntly, ignoring the coke in front of her, and refusing to look anywhere except her eyes. Maren sighed, swallowing awkwardly. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Does it matter anymore? It won’t change what happened.” It wasn’t the most counsellor-y thing to say, as she knew logically that Anna might just need to close off that section of her life, but she really didn’t want to upset her further by trying to defend herself. It was much easier for both sisters to just hate her and move on. Maren deserved it after all.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. I still want an answer.” The redhead was firm, and Maren knew from experience that she wouldn’t be backing down any time soon. She didn’t have the energy, so she just shrugged, leaning back and avoiding her eyes. They reminded her too much of Elsa, and she couldn’t bear it.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “It was all about Oliver at first. I wanted to blame the academy, so we planned to write an expose on anything going on in the school. Then things got… complicated.” She explained it as simply as she could, hoping to get the conversation over with so she could get back to work, finish her shift and go home to several beers and a movie.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “You mean my father?” Anna asked, but Maren shook her head.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “No. I mean, yeah, sure, that definitely didn’t help. But I meant your sister.” Maren hadn’t spoken the name in over a month at that point, and she wasn’t sure she could feel it slip from her lips without the claws of depression grabbing at her even more so then they already were.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “So you changed your mind because you fell for her?” The girl said bluntly, and Maren noticed her posture slacken slightly. It was curious, but she tried to ignore it, to not study it.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I started to get uncomfortable because she showed me the truth behind what was actually going on. Falling for her just confirmed that I couldn’t have anything to do with the story anymore.” She sighed, rubbing her hands together awkwardly.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I see.” Anna said quietly, frowning. “Do you regret it then?”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Maren had thought about that question a million times, and it kept her up at night on a regular basis, because the answer was no. She knew that she couldn’t have changed her mindset when it started, because she was too deep in grief and misery and anger to see reality. From that point it was Elsa who helped her and changed her view, so without doing the same thing again she would have just destroyed the school without ever managing to help Elsa move on from her father’s abuse. The only thing she regretted was her timing. She should have stopped it the moment she started to be unsure of her reasoning, and told Elsa the truth before she got hurt. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Hindsight is a funny thing, Anna, it’s impossible to know what might happen if you did things differently. But If I’d known sooner about everything I learned in my time at the school, I would have gone to hell and back to keep you and E-” Her throat clenched at the name, and immediately she felt her eyes burn, but no tears came. Anna noticed the reaction though, brows twitching and head cocking to one side suspiciously. “I’d have made sure it didn’t end this way.”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Anna hummed, and then looked down to her hand, which was still bandaged.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “What happened to your hand?” Anna asked curiously, and Maren had to blink and look down before she realised what she meant.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Oh. Uh, I broke my knuckle.” She lifted it with a quick grimace.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “How?”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      Maren sighed heavily, rubbing her face. It didn’t seem like Anna was going to let up and just leave her to wallow like she wanted to so badly. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I punched Ryder which broke it first, but then I came off my bike and re-broke it.” She said flatly, but Anna’s brows raised in shock.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Wow, okay.” Anna seemed unsure of herself, and Maren couldn’t help but read into the body language; the shift on her seat, the flick of her eyes away. It was obvious there was another question on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t able to say it yet. </em>
</p>
<p><em>      Maren didn’t know what to do. On one hand, she desperately wanted to try and earn forgiveness by explaining, what use was being slightly less villainous? All that did was bring </em> her <em> peace, it didn’t help the fact that her betrayal had still happened.  </em></p>
<p>
  <em>      “Look Anna, I don’t know what you were trying to achieve by coming here, but it’s obviously not what you were hoping for.” She stated, standing up. Her chest felt tight, and she rushed the words out, anxious to get away.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “You look miserable.” Anna deadpanned, but also stood up. Maren was silent, staring at the girl in disbelief. “Why are you in this dump?” She stepped into Maren’s personal space, looking between her eyes.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “I-” Maren couldn’t answer. She was punishing herself, that was why, but she couldn’t admit that to Anna. They stood there for a moment, Maren curling into herself while Anna stood firm, having the upperhand in their conversation. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “Did you really ask Ryder to stop?” Anna asked finally, the vulnerability evident in the waver in her voice. Maren thought for a second, and then looked away.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>      “We both pulled out, but… He did what he had to to stop something worse being published.” She was sure Anna would be once again betrayed by her defense of her brother, but refused to look, not needing yet another look of sadness etched into her memory. It would just hurt too much. “I have to get back to work.” She said, not catching Anna’s eyes as she walked past her and back to the bar.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     The interaction had started working its way into her dreams, distorted and moved around. She would usually beg for forgiveness, plead with Anna to make Elsa understand but every time it would end with her shaking her head and fading away. Maren still wasn’t sure why Anna had come to see her. She could understand the need for closure, but it hadn’t felt like that was the point. Either way, it had been another month and she hadn’t seen the girl again, so she assumed that Anna had gotten enough out of her to move on. </p>
<p>     An hour passed agonisingly slowly, and Lucas came down to start his evening shift with her. They chatted casually, laughing at silly things customers said or did, and her mood was surprisingly high after how mopey she had felt all afternoon. </p>
<p>     “Okay, okay.” Lucas leaned in close to her, arm raised to gesture subtly in the direction of a man sat by himself. He wore a suit that looked far too expensive for a pub like this, and judging from the way he sat with his head dropped into his hands, he was having some kind of crisis. </p>
<p>     “I bet…” Lucas started, grinning, “he got caught cheating by his girlfriend.” </p>
<p>     “What? No, come on, he’s obviously been to an interview or something.” Maren said, scoffing.</p>
<p>     “You think? Huh…” Lucas cocked his head to the side, pouting his lips. Maren noticed the pub door opening, and moved away  a bit to seem a little more professional. </p>
<p>     “Yeah, definitely. No offence Lucas but this isn’t really a designer suit kind of pub…” She laughed at the way his jaw dropped. </p>
<p>     “How dare you!” He spoke smartly, whispering the words dramatically with a hand on his chest. </p>
<p>     “It’s not my fault you sell the wor...st… beer.” Maren trailed off, words fading away as her eyes landed on the woman who had walked into the pub. The hair caught her attention first, platinum blonde and  tied back in a messy ponytail, bangs perfectly pushed to the side. She wore a navy trench coat, undone and rolled up at the sleeves fashionably, paired with heels that were higher than she thought would be comfortable, but certainly made her look commanding. Maren found her eyes before she could remind herself not to, mouth dropping open subconsciously at the icy blue that stared back at her. Elsa made her way to the bar, sitting down on a stool after glaring at it for a second.</p>
<p>     “Earth to Maren?” Lucas whispered, and she tore her eyes away to stare at him wide eyed, the fear she felt plastered across her face. “Woah, okay… I take it that’s the ex then. Or not ex? It still confuses me.” </p>
<p>     Maren couldn’t reply, standing stock still a little more than two metres away from the woman she had hurt so badly. If she had more time she might have attempted to hide, but they had already caught eyes, and there was no other reason Elsa would have come to this tiny, cheap pub, if not because she knew Maren was there. </p>
<p>     “You gonna serve her or not?” Lucas said after a moment, and then gave her a nudge, moving away to serve someone else. </p>
<p>     Maren watched him leave, taking several deep breaths to stop herself panicking, before turning around and heading to Elsa. She was looking over the alcohol on display with a frown, which would have made Maren laugh had she not been fighting back vomit. </p>
<p>     “What can I get for you?” She said, trying to smile but managing little more than a one sided grimace. Elsa looked up at her, face expressionless.</p>
<p>     “Well I was thinking about wine until I saw your selection… what would you recommend?” Elsa spoke to her like she was anybody else, and it threw Maren off more than she expected it to. It was like they had never met before. </p>
<p>     “Um… We… have some very good Gin? I can whip up a Gin and Tonic if that’s your kind of thing?” She took a stab in the dark, remembering seeing the bottle of Gin in Elsa’s alcohol cabinet once, half empty. Elsa hummed. </p>
<p>     “That sounds perfect actually.” She nodded, and Maren swallowed, quickly turning to make the drink. She was clumsy about it, hands shaking as she felt Elsa’s eyes on her back the whole time. Lucas raised his eyebrows at her, doing a quick up and down motion with his hands while puffing her chest up and down to remind her to breathe. </p>
<p>     “One Gin and Tonic.” Maren said, sliding the drink in front of the woman, watching as she immediately took a sip. </p>
<p>     “Mmm. Lovely.” Elsa’s lips pulled up just a touch, and Maren couldn’t stop staring at them. It felt surreal to be face to face with her after everything, and her chest was tight as the feeling of loss and need filled her stronger than it had in weeks. </p>
<p>     “G-great.” She whispered, and then made to move away, rubbing her palms on her trousers and clenching her jaw. </p>
<p>     “I never knew there was a pub like this here. Who owns it?” Elsa asked casually, and Maren spun around again, brows raised. It was such a normal question... </p>
<p>     “Uhh, Lucas,” she pointed over to the man, “and his brother.” </p>
<p>     “I see. My sister came here recently and told me about it. Apparently the staff were a little rude.” She cocked an eyebrow at Maren, who just looked back blankly. Elsa honestly seemed to be pretending they didn’t know each other. Comprehension abilities little to none in that moment, she gave up trying to understand it, deciding to simply go along with whatever Elsa wanted. At the end of the day, she was just glad to be able to recreate the picture of her in her mind once more, and made sure to focus heavily on the small mole near her ear, ensuring she would never forget it again. </p>
<p>     “Oh really? Well… hopefully your service will be better.” Eyes met, and the intensity left her short of breath, heart pounding. </p>
<p>     “I hope so. It’s important for a business to have good, trustworthy staff.” Elsa kept her eyes glued on Maren’s and undoubtedly saw the twitch of her jaw clenching, and the quick squint of discomfort in her eyes.</p>
<p>     “Yeah, I uh… That’s definitely important.” Ripping her gaze away, she drew in a deep breath to calm herself down. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep this up for. Elsa looked beautiful, strong, and not at all like the angry, betrayed woman she had left that in the kitchen that morning. Perhaps she was there to show her just how far she had come in moving on, making a point that she barely even remembered her anymore. The idea of it broke her heart.</p>
<p>     “I don’t have a great track record for <em> my </em> staff. I had to fire the last person who worked for me.” Elsa said, looking down at her glass and then taking a sip. </p>
<p>     “They must have been a bad employee.” Maren said awkwardly, fiddling with the wood of the bar surface to keep her hands busy. She glanced over to Lucas, who seemed more than happy manning the practically empty bar by himself. He gave a supportive thumbs up, and she sighed at his enthusiasm.</p>
<p>     “No, actually.” Elsa said, surprising her. “She was a fantastic employee. A hard worker, smart, not afraid to stand up to me, or anyone else when they were wrong.” </p>
<p>     Maren was silent, watching her as she stirred the drink slowly, talking to it instead of her. After a second Elsa continued.</p>
<p>     “We got involved, and it… was a bit messy.” Elsa said.</p>
<p>     “That doesn’t seem like it was a good idea.” Maren offered, and Elsa laughed. It was light, and full of genuine amusement. Maren melted at the sound.</p>
<p>     “No, it wasn’t.” She smiled. “But it was worth it.” Elsa sighed, the smile fading. “Unfortunately it turned out she was using me to write an expose on my school. The Academy got shut down and everyone lost their jobs.” </p>
<p>     Maren’s heart sank. Reading about the downfall of the school on the internet was one thing, but hearing it from Elsa’s lips sounded ten times worse. It was the worst trial she could ever face, having the woman she felt so strongly for tell her how much harm she had done, while pretending she didn’t exist. </p>
<p>     “What a bitch.” She whispered, looking at the floor and wishing she would fall though it and fade into oblivion. </p>
<p>     “You’d think… I’m not sure.” Elsa said softly, and Maren had to drag her eyes back up, frowning at the curious expression on the blonde’s face as she watched Maren cringe at her own actions. </p>
<p>     “She was an idiot, don’t get me wrong. But… my sister spoke to her recently and told me something interesting. <em> So </em>… I went for a drink with her brother.” Elsa spoke carefully, watching her every move.</p>
<p>     Maren’s eyes widened, heart beating so fast suddenly that it almost hurt. She had spoken to Ryder? About what? Why? What had he said? <em> Why </em> didn’t he tell her? </p>
<p>     “You... “ She tried to stay calm, to tell herself that she was just playing the friendly bartender in this conversation. “Oh, what did he say then?” </p>
<p>     “He explained why they had done it, and took pretty much all of the blame. He also told me about how you- she broke her hand punching him…” Elsa raised an eyebrow in judgement, and Maren felt herself blush with embarrassment. Her almost slip up made everything feel just a bit too real, and shifted on her feet nervously.</p>
<p>     “Yeah…” She whispered shyly, still struggling to meet Elsa’s gaze. Vulnerability wasn’t something that she was entirely comfortable with, but since meeting Elsa she had begun to get used to the feeling. As she stood there before the woman, who now knew <em> everything </em> apparently, she felt for once like she had nothing left to hide, and it was freeing as much as it was uncomfortable.</p>
<p>     “So… I’ve been thinking about going to see her… what do you think? Is that a healthy thing to do?” Elsa leaned forward on the bar a little, expression ever so slightly flirtatious, which confused Maren immensely. Of course that wasn’t healthy, and neither was flirting with the woman who ruined your life. </p>
<p>     “I… don’t know. What would you say to her if you did?” She asked, frowning.</p>
<p>     “I would offer her a job.” Elsa said with a smile, and Maren balked. <em> What?! </em> </p>
<p>     “Things didn’t quite go the way I expected after the Academy got put up for sale. It turned out that the reason my father kept me around was because my mother actually owned shares in the school, which she had handed over to me in her will. So not only did I own part of it, I had been accumulating money in an account that he had kept in her name somehow for years. His accountant used his position to get me all the information before retiring. I take it you heard that the Academy was bought out?” </p>
<p>     Maren had moved closer, listening intently to every word that the woman spoke. </p>
<p>     “Yeah, I read in the paper. By some unnamed Trust.” She replied, watching Elsa smile at the knowledge that she had been keeping up with the news.</p>
<p>     “Oliver’s Trust.” Elsa said gently, and Maren blinked, body going numb with shock. “Mr Dickens and I named it together, and bought the school 50/50. It’s being reopened with a focus on mental health, and support for kids with learning difficulties or damaged backgrounds.” </p>
<p>     Maren felt herself tearing up. It was more than she could ever imagine, and though it hadn’t been her to do it, she was thankful that she got to watch someone turn Oliver's memory into something great. What she had done was cruel and bigoted, but what Elsa and Mr Dickens were doing was incredible. </p>
<p>     “Obviously for a school like that to work I need a good counsellor. A couple actually, but I was hoping to hire one in particular...” She watched Maren with curiosity still, waiting for some kind of response. </p>
<p>     “Why me?” Maren asked, fighting against the lump in her throat. “I don’t deserve that kind of role.”</p>
<p>     “<em> That </em> is why.” Elsa reached out and placed a hand on top of Maren’s. It sent a jolt of electricity through her, skin burning under the gentle touch. She didn’t keep her hand there, seeming to feel weird about it herself, and retracted it slowly as she began to speak again. “You messed up Maren, and it <em> hurt </em> people. I know that better than anyone. I’m not saying I’ve forgotten what you did, but I understand it to a point. Everything that was written was true, and as much as I wish you and Ryder had gone about it differently, you were suffering, and you let it overwhelm you. Plus… Ryder let me read the article that <em> other </em> reporter wrote, and I have to say I’m glad that didn’t come out. You’ve clearly been punishing yourself for your mistakes, and now it’s time to get over it and start helping the children that need you again. It’s what you’re supposed to be doing with your life, not making drinks for miserable alcoholics.” </p>
<p>     Maren ran a hand through her hair, emotions overwhelming her for a moment. </p>
<p>     “El-” Once again her throat closed up at the name, and she closed her eyes for just a second. “Elsa… I can’t work with you when I still…” She gestured aimlessly at the blonde, sighing frustratedly at the difficult position she found herself in. </p>
<p>     “Still have feelings for me?” Elsa asked, smiling merrily. She looked happy, happier than she had ever seen her before. It made sense, she supposed, with her father out of her life, money to her name, the school in her hands, and a sense of purpose, that she would feel good about her life for once. Anna had visited a month ago, which suggested Elsa had had time to seriously think about this, and had clearly found her peace with the situation and decided she forgave her, even if it wasn’t forgotten. </p>
<p>     “Yes.” Maren said honestly.</p>
<p>     “You did it before.” Elsa said lightheartedly and shrugged, finishing her drink. “I won’t make you say yes, but if you’re interested then the job is yours. It's a fresh start for me. It could be that for you too.” </p>
<p>     Elsa stood up, brushing her coat down quickly before giving Maren a once over. With one of the wall lamps directly behind her, her hair glowed, making her look almost ethereal. </p>
<p>     “You have my number.” Elsa finished, and then turned to walk away. </p>
<p>     “You didn’t pay for your drink.” Maren said desperately, not really caring, but not ready to finish looking at her yet. </p>
<p>     Elsa turned to look at her with a smirk, and their eyes met. Her arms begged her to reach out to the woman, and now with the barrier between them removed she didn’t feel so pained by the idea. </p>
<p>     “Aren’t you buying it for me?” She winked, and then walked away, the click of her heels following behind her retreating form. Maren just stared after her, watching the door even after Elsa was out of sight and the wood had stopped moving. </p>
<p>     “Well then… I take it she’s not so `ex` anymore?” Lucas said next to her ear, making her jump. He wore a cocky smirk, shining a glass with a towel. </p>
<p>     “I… think I’m handing my notice in.” Maren spoke before her brain could catch up, her heart taking control instead. She missed working with children immensely, so of course that was an important factor too, but more than anything else she knew she couldn’t run from Elsa again. For months she had thought over what she could have done differently, but the situation they had been in was a mess from the very beginning. Now that Elsa was giving them a fresh start, without the secrets and lies, she would be sure to do things right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>END</strong>
  </em>
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<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That's it guys. The end of Arendelle Academy. Thank you for joining me in creating this story, I've enjoyed engaging with you and your theories so much.<br/>There were so many amazing comments on the last chapter, and I read and loved every single one of them. Thank you all so much! x</p>
<p>Shout out to Mags, who figured out the plot almost perfectly right near the start. I've had to keep my mouth shut for so long.</p>
<p>Martha10 - I'm glad you brought up the bdsm smut actually because It's something I wanted to discuss. There would 100% have been a deep discussion about it before they had sex, hence why Maren already had the items prepared in a bag, and why Elsa kind of knew what was coming, if not entirely. You NEVER have that kind of sex without proper communication first, and any decent Dom would never spring it on someone. I almost didn't write it because I didn't want it to be so close to the abuse scene, but for the sake of fan service I decided to go for it. I'm glad you found it hot ;)</p>
<p>Avalotsnow - Whenever English teachers, or in this story's case school counsellors, comment I get so nervous. My fiancee is the writer usually, I just do it for funsies, so I hope it was okay hahaha</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Epilogue (ish)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Been almost a year since I first started writing this, so in honour of it, I thought I'd give the people who want it a little epilogue. You all deserve it for still asking a whole year later. </p><p>Also, I still read the comments on this, and they still make me super happy every time :3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">EPILOGUE</span>
</p><p>After a nervous couple of weeks, Maren found that her friendship with Elsa was becoming more natural. She was surprised by how quickly it happened, but Elsa had seemed pretty sure of herself when she had offered her the job, which certainly suggested she was mostly over the issues between them. It felt almost like a lifetime away sometimes, both the 'almost' of their feelings, and the numb sadness that came after. </p><p>It was around two months in that she found herself sat on the couch in Elsa's office, the woman in question lounging comfortably next to her, a soft laugh lighting up her face in the relaxed way she'd so rarely seen before. Eyes squinted, lips pulled taught, and a slight pinkening of cheeks made her only more gorgeous, and in the peace and quiet after a hard day, she wanted nothing more than to tell her just that. With a soft sigh, she forced her eyes away, trying her best to keep within the boundaries of friendship Elsa seemed to have put into place. She knew, more than she wished to admit, that she was undeniably in love with Elsa, but after what had happened she was just happy to be privy to these moments of beauty, even if she wasn't allowed to be the one to cause them anymore. </p><p>A shiver pulled through her, the air starting to chill with the telling signs of winter. Her hand rubbed at the side of her bicep for a moment, before falling back onto the plush surface below her. The skin of her hand brushed against Elsa's, and she instinctively pulled it away, swallowing down the slight sinking feeling that the headmistress would think she was making a move.</p><p>"Sorry," she mumbled, making sure to keep her eyes away from the blue she so desperately wanted to stare into; she didn't think she could handle seeing anger or hurt there again. She heard a slow breath, felt the sofa pull as Elsa shifted, and then a hand came to rest on top of hers.</p><p>"You don't have to apologise for touching me you know. It's not- I don't-", the fingers twitched on hers, an indication that she was nervous, "I know you're avoiding it. Please don't..." </p><p> Turning her head, she caught the uncertain smile on Elsa's lips, and immediately her heart began to speed up with a slight spark of hope. Slowly, she moved her fingers so they wrapped around Elsa's pale ones, keeping the hold delicate.</p><p>"I just don't want you to think I'm trying anything. I don't want to mess this up... again." she chuckled awkwardly, hoping the desperation she felt wouldn't creep up into her expression. </p><p>"We're okay, Maren. It's-" Elsa looked away, letting her eyes settle on the dying light on the horizon, "It's better now." </p><p>'Better'... Maren wanted to agree, she knew that being <em>friends</em> was far healthier than what they had been before, but her heart ached at the very idea that <em>just</em> being friends was what might be better about it. Elsa's flirting at the bar had felt real enough, though she had known it must have been at least a little bit of a front, but nothing had seemed to come of it. There was a joke here or there, or a laugh when people without their intimate history wouldn't have laughed, but nothing more. Elsa had known going into this that Maren still liked her, but had never stated if she shared those feelings still, so Maren followed Elsa's lead, falling into an odd normal.</p><p>"Come on, you should head home. Anna will complain if I don't order dinner soon." With that Elsa stood, the sudden loss of her hand leaving Maren suddenly even colder than before. </p><p>"Sure."</p><p>.....</p><p>That conversation seemed to have sparked something odd between the two women, and it left Maren's head in a state, her heart working overtime almost consistently. Suddenly every opportunity for physical contact seemed to end up with it happening, rather than the avoidance of before. In fact, Maren was almost at the point of wondering if Elsa was actively <em>trying</em> to get into those situations, suddenly needing a pen when Maren was holding one, or touching her arm to reach past for the coffee grounds. It was only small things, bits that could be explained away, but the way Elsa still avoided looking her in the eyes when she did it made her quickly realise that Elsa was aware of the contact just as much as she was. The one time it was definitely accidental caused rather the stir in the staff room, as Elsa turned just as Maren walked past, the bumping of bodies splashing coffee and throwing Elsa off balance. She'd instinctively reached out to steady her, one hand on the counter as she let the other land on the middle of Elsa's back. She'd <em>seen</em> the sharp breath as Elsa realised who she'd bumped into, and when their eyes had met it was like everything had gone still for a few seconds. It had only been about three, but it was enough for whispers to start between the staff, and suddenly everyone seemed to know about their original 'sneaking around' the year before. </p><p>Maren found herself thinking back on Elsa's flirting even more, and the sudden lack of it. Was she expecting Maren to act on her feelings? She'd suggested she should be able to work professionally despite her feelings, so she doubted that. Was Elsa only just starting to develop feelings again? That seemed odd, having seen what that looked like the first time around. Was she just overthinking? Probably... </p><p>"<em>So</em>," Ella whispered, slipping a book back into place, "you and Elsa..." </p><p>Maren almost groaned, but managed to restrain herself enough to simply close her eyes and exhale slowly. "What about us?" She'd chosen to try and stay as far removed from Ella as she could, thinking that getting close to Elsa's renewed best friend might cross a few boundaries. Elsa needed Ella, and her confusing things by making her biased would not go down well.</p><p>"It's been three months since you started working here, and watching you two is like watching a couple of school children. I'll admit, I wasn't sure if you two would be able to salvage anything, but clearly I was wrong." She leaned against the bookshelf, crossing her arms and pinning Maren with a curious look. "But you're taking your sweet time with it." </p><p>Maren didn't respond for a few seconds, slipping the book she'd borrowed back in place slowly. When she did speak, it was with a cautiousness that rivalled Elsa's. "Elsa and I are friends, which is more than I thought I'd get."</p><p>"Oh, not this again. Friends, colleagues, partners in dastardly crime. You still have feelings for her right? Elsa said you did when she hired you," Ella whispered, but the words being spoken aloud sparked a panic in Maren, and she quickly looked around, taking a step closer to Ella.</p><p>"Ella, <em>please</em> don't make this any harder then it already is." She begged. The woman stared at her, eyes flicking between her own, hand coming up to push her fringe away from her eyes.</p><p>"Do you think she's over you?" Ella questioned, seeming in disbelief at the idea.</p><p>"I don't know, maybe? She's- This is better." She repeated Elsa's own words, feeling the way they tasted on her own tongue and hating it. </p><p>"You know she hasn't been with anyone since you?" Ella said quietly.</p><p>That got her attention. "She hasn't?" </p><p>"Nope, in fact she's turned down quite a few people at all these fancy Trust events. I'm the stand in plus one, so get to see it all," she rolled her eyes. </p><p>"I-" Hearing that Elsa wasn't seeing other people once again lit a spark in her chest, a fluttering lightness that almost made her feel sick. "I have a session to get to."</p><p>.....</p><p>Ella's words stuck in her mind for days. Not for the first time she found herself thinking back to the times they'd been intimate, though for once she allowed the thoughts, rather than shutting them down instantly out of guilt. She had wondered several times if Elsa had been with any other people, the thought often making her blood run cold and her sleep become disturbed, but knowing that she hadn't, that she was still <em>hers</em> in at least one way... whatever emotions she'd managed to keep repressed over the past several months came flooding back with a force that knocked the wind out of her. </p><p>Alarm bells rang in her head the moment she found herself alone with Elsa again, this time in her own office, when the headmistress needed to relay some information on a new student to her. An email would have sufficed, but yet again Elsa was choosing to put herself in Maren's space. She <em>wouldn't</em> act on her desires, whether they were loving or sexual in nature, but she could no longer deny that she did want to. </p><p>"Sounds like she's a handful," Maren said with a nod after Elsa had finished speaking. She was sat on the edge of her desk, with Elsa leaning against the window near her. She tried not to look at the low cleavage on display thanks to the white silk shirt she wore, though she knew Elsa had caught her eyes stray at least once since her arrival, not that she'd let any reaction slip.</p><p>"Yes, but I think you can get through to her. I have faith in you." She smiled, and Maren's heart melted. </p><p>"I appreciate the support," she took a deep breath, "I'll try my best. You said you'll be talking to Mr Dickens this weekend at some party thingy? Could you give him my well wishes? Or not, I'm not sure what his feelings towards me are actually..." She frowned, scratching her nose as she pondered the concept. Working so closely, Mr Dickens was sure to know all the details about what had happened, and having not run into the man since working at the new school, she couldn't be sure how he felt. </p><p>"He never had any ill feelings towards you don't worry." Elsa smiled gently, her expression honest. "Perhaps," her confident tone seemed to slip for a moment, her lip slipping between her teeth as she looked away, "I'm sure he'd prefer hearing it from you. In person." </p><p>Maren blinked, body still. "Are you... inviting me to the party? Posh thingy? I don't actually know what it is..."</p><p>Within the time it took for Elsa to take in a deep breath her confidence was back in full force. She rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Its a gala, and <em>yes</em> I was offering for you to accompany me. There's free alcohol, which I'm sure you'll need considering your aversion to 'posh thingy's'." A smirk worked its way onto Elsa face, and she took a step closer. Maren turned automatically to face her, eyes widened in surprise. "What do you say, Miss Nattura?" </p><p>Just as she was about to find some kind of reply, Elsa's eyes dipped down, and any chance she'd had of not sounding like an idiot went so far out the door that she wondered how she'd ever been able to speak before. </p><p>"S-<em>sure</em>-yah." She stuttered out, feeling her cheeks start to get warm. Elsa wasn't even as close as she'd been when they had sat together on the sofa, but that look in her eyes, the uncaring smugness, it ruined her. Normally she'd push back, make a smooth remark, or take another step forward with an eyebrow quirk, but with her normal reaction out of bounds, she was left with nothing. </p><p>"Dress up, the driver will pick you up at six." </p><p>.....</p><p>The evening had been fun. Being 'friends' with Elsa in a public setting had been surprisingly easy. No one knew about old rumours, and if they did no one cared. It was a professional environment, so they were able to remain in a comfortable level of distanced for the majority of the evening. The only person who had raised an eyebrow was Mr Dickens, who looked to Elsa curiously, only to receive a subtle head shake that left Maren exceptionally confused. The dress Elsa wore was a navy colour, and dipped into every curve she had in a way that made a lot of people stare longingly; she knew she'd have spent the entire night staring if she was allowed to, but her eyes had remained firmly on the shoulders up for <em>most</em> of the time, not that her loose hair was any less attractive. </p><p>"Having fun?" Elsa asked as she picked up her fourth drink of the evening. </p><p>"Hey, they serve some good alcohol here. My fault, tis not." She felt herself smirk, the alcohol making her relaxed enough to wholeheartedly be herself for the first time in a while. Elsa snorted quietly, which pushed her smirk into a wide smile. "Am I more fun than Ella?"</p><p>"Hmm, I'm not sure about that. Ella spends the whole time telling me how badly her heels hurt, despite refusing to ever wear flats." </p><p>Maren tilted her head in confusion, following Elsa as they made their way towards a quieter part of the room. "That sounds awful, I thought you said she was more fun?"</p><p>"Oh, it's funny watching her suffer." Elsa met her eyes, the creases at the corners seeming to be more present in recent months than they had been before. </p><p>"I love it when you sm-" Maren stopped, blinking back to reality for a moment. She watched Elsa's smile lessen slightly, brows twitching. "Sorry, four's obviously one too many." She lifted the drink up accusatorily, before chancing a look back to Elsa. Blue eyes were pinning her with an intensity she hadn't expected, studying her with a knitting of her brows. </p><p>"Finish, please." Elsa said softly, waiting expectantly. </p><p>"I- I like it when you smile like that. With your eyes, it-" Elsa kept studying her, chest unmoving as she seemed to hold her breath. "It's pretty." </p><p>A few seconds passed, Elsa eventually choosing to lower her gaze to the floor and allowing Maren to try and take in a nervous breath. </p><p>"Maren... You have feelings for me still?" When she looked up to meet Maren's eyes, her face had morphed into something vulnerable, and suddenly Maren was glad they were tucked away behind a tall plant, behind a row of people, mostly out of sight and earshot. </p><p>"I do. I'm sorry if that's not what you were hoping for..." Her gaze fell, uncertain of herself. "They've only gotten stronger to be entirely honest."</p><p>Elsa moved closer, reaching out to take her free hand, lifting it up to watch it as she ran her thumb over the skin. The pad found a scar, and ran over it several times. </p><p>"Let's go, this is winding down now anyway." </p><p>Maren's heart sunk for a second, until Elsa took a few steps away, keeping her hand gently wrapped around her own. It stayed that way for the whole walk outside, and Maren felt like the touch was burning her, in a pleasantly soothing way, and a painful way that seared her to the core.</p><p>When they got in the car, Elsa let go of her hand to lean forward and speak with the driver. "Can you drive around for a few minutes please? Thank you Thomas." She sat back, silent as the partition between the front and back was raised, and the car began to pull away. Maren wished she'd been allowed to take the drink with her... </p><p>"What are we doing?" Maren asked, letting the pleading tone slip, desperate to be put out of her misery as quickly as possible. </p><p>"We need to talk." Her hand was taken once more by Elsa, their knees pressing together in the close confinement. "These past couple of months have been... difficult. When I said we could work together with you still having feelings for me, what I didn't really anticipate was just how quickly we would be able to return to a comfortable normal. I expected it to be uncomfortable for a while, but you... you disarm me. It's hard to remain professional around you." </p><p>Whether it was the alcohol, or just that she'd imagined similar words over and over again, she wasn't sure, but it seemed surreal.</p><p>"Are you- Do <em>you</em> still have feelings too?" She asked carefully. Elsa laughed, lightly, almost embarrassedly. </p><p>"I thought that much was obvious, but perhaps I'm better at acting after all these years than I thought." </p><p>"That's a yes right?" Maren asked, needing to be sure. After everything she'd done, everything Elsa had been through, it had to be on <em>Elsa's</em> terms that anything happened.</p><p>"Maren," another chuckle, "yes, I still have feelings for you. I just... I couldn't <em>trust</em> you, not fully. I needed to know you cared about what I needed, how I felt. Last time-" Elsa swallowed, and for the first time since it had happened Maren saw a flash of pain cross her face, her eyes twitching in discomfort as her shoulders tightened.</p><p>"Last time I hurt you. You wanted to prove that I wouldn't act on my own desires instead of following your lead." Everything seemed to click in her head, all the mixed signals and confusing looks and touches. It was a test. It hurt, but all she could think about was the fact that Elsa had used the term 'last time', as if there was a 'this time' coming.</p><p>"Yes." Nodding once, Elsa met her gaze, and the the direction lowered, just a fraction. Maren took a slow breath, feeling her lips tingle at just having Elsa's eyes on them. "I'm sorry for the games. Ella said you held up very well, though I wasn't aware of her attempt to push you, I'm sorry about that." She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. </p><p>"Ah, yeah that makes sense." She laughed, a giddy feeling having settled in her stomach. In the darkness Elsa's blue eyes seemed darker, like a saturated night sky, but none less enticing, and as the woman shifted move closer, she found herself completely entranced by them. A silent, thick atmosphere filled the car, making hearts beat hard, and breathing come out laboured.</p><p>"Maren..." Elsa said quietly, as if afraid to break the moment of open honesty between them. Her hand moved up to almost cup her face, fingers running across her cheek experimentally. "If I let this happen, promise me you wont break my heart again?" </p><p>Maren's heart clenched. She'd seen Elsa hurt, angry, in physical pain, but this emotional vulnerability was so intense that it hurt. "God, I promise. I couldn't, I-" She couldn't find any words, but she didn't need to, she'd said enough. </p><p>Elsa's lips pulled up slightly, and then her eyes broke contact with hers, dipping down, and she inched closer. Maren dared not move, eyes slipping closed and mouth parting a fraction in a longing expectation. Elsa's breath lingered on her lips for a moment as their noses brushed, and she heard someone whimper, though she thought it might have been herself. Eventually lips pressed against hers, and she exhaled a gasp, chest tightening as her hand moved to cup the blondes face. They moved so slowly it seemed as if they weren't moving at all, the kiss one of love and longing and every bit of hurt and need that both women had felt over the past several months. Both of Elsa's hands came around to slip into her hair, gripping just hard enough to elicit a groan, pushing them to deepen the kiss. It was clear they wanted to keep it slow, but desperation won over, and the next thing Maren knew, her hands were wrapped around Elsa's waist and back, the woman sat in her lap as they gasped out everything they felt into a single kiss. </p><p>When they parted, it was because the driver turned a sharp corner, making Maren put her arm out to keep them upright. They met eyes, and though a desire to resume was thick between hem, both kept in control. </p><p>"I missed this." Elsa said, forehead pressing against hers. </p><p>"We never really had <em>this</em>. Not properly." Maren said with a chuckle. </p><p>"Let me re-phrase, I missed you Maren. And I want us to have <em>this</em> properly. If you're willing?" </p><p>"<em>Yes," </em>her hand came up to cup Elsa's face, "please, yes." </p><p>.....</p><p> </p><p>Maren worked for Elsa for a couple of years before, with Elsa's blessing, moving back into the foster/adoption support system. </p><p>Anna went on to university, determined to make something of herself. Kristoff and her were rocky for a while at first, but they made it through. </p><p>Kristoff trained to be a mechanic, him and Maren worked together to do up a classic motorbike that was beaten down. </p><p>Elsa continued running the school, which was a surprising success. People continued to back the Oliver Trust. </p><p>Mr Winters never tried to contact Elsa or Anna again after he lost his power over them. His reputation was tarnished, but he bought his way back into power quickly.</p><p> </p><p>Maren and Elsa accidently moved in together, after Maren stayed over so much they decided it was for the best. </p><p>Maren still hates riding horses, though she grew rather fond of the animals in general. </p><p>Maren came home one day with a young boy who had just been dumped into the system after suffering at the hands of his abusive father. They fostered him immediately, and later adopted him. He then came home with a puppy, they also adopted that. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I drew a lil epilogue picture for fun - Anna kinda idolises Maren, and loves to go on rides with her. Kristoff is always terrified because she hangs off the edge. Elsa was <em>highly</em> against it at first, but she grew to trust Maren to keep Anna safe. She still wont let their son on the bike. </p><p> </p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And so it begins. </p><p>K x</p></blockquote></div></div>
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